


What You Can't Outrun

by Ishmael



Category: Marvel (Comics), Young Avengers
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Arguing, Awkward Kissing, Bad Dirty Talk, Bisexual Character, Canon-Typical Violence, Cohabitation, Communication Failure, Complicated Relationships, Conflict Resolution, Demisexual Character, Denial, Dick Jokes, Everyone Has Issues, Explicit Sexual Content, Family Issues, First Time, Flirting, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Frottage, Identity Issues, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Oral Sex, POV Alternating, Pining, Rimming, Secret Relationship, Sex Is Fun, Sibling Rivalry, Slow Build, Team Dynamics, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-04-18 05:30:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 70,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4693841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ishmael/pseuds/Ishmael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-rescue from a cosmic horror Tommy discovers months of his life missing, the team reformed without him, and Billy more powerful than anyone had imagined. Not that any of that bothers him. He's fine. </p><p>David is glad the multiverse roadtrip from hell is over so he can get back to a relatively normal life and repair the mistakes he's made. The last thing he needs is to complicate his life further by getting involved in the strained relationship between Tommy and the rest of the team.</p><p>Tommy's not fine. David gets involved. The team helps and hurts in turn and the situation gets messier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place immediately after Gillen's run of YA. Spoilers for Fraction's Hawkeye v3.
> 
> Thanks to Tartan for helping me through the whole way even when I was kicking and screaming. Never could've done it without you. Thanks to Dust for saving this fic from the brink of destruction.
> 
> My first chaptered longfic, woo! I've been through a lot to get here and am relieved to finally get this out. Part 2 is in editing, part 3 is outlined, ~~both are shorter than this section; I'm not sure how long it'll take to get them done. The rating will go up with Part 2 and tags will be added to reflect the new content.~~

**_Ooh, crazy's what they think about me_ **  
**_Ain't gonna stop cause they tell me so_ **  
**_Cause 99 miles per hour baby_ **  
**_Is how fast that I like to go_ **  


The first thing Tommy notices is he's kissing David. Or David is kissing him. He doesn't remember how they got here but David looks as shocked as Tommy feels about the stakeouts-to-makeouts transition. Tommy adds it to his newly formed list of _what the fuck_ and shoves David away, spouting words to fill in the air between them.

No sign of the thing in Eli's suit so no immediate danger, probably. Grassy hill, David in a white suit, flashing lights and a pounding beat and dancing bodies nearby. A party. Tommy runs toward it. Parties make way more sense than whatever this is. Maybe the distance will help things become clearer.

The punch is spiked, thank fuck. Tommy downs two cups to make the feeling creeping up his spine go away, to forget about the strange soft look David directed at his back and slow his pounding heart. It doesn't work so he takes to the dance floor and gives in to the motion. It's not like this is the first time his life has been thrown upside down, no reason to make a big deal of it. Moving is better than thinking when his thoughts make no sense; it forces him to concentrate so his body doesn't vibrate out of control. He doesn't know most of the people there but he knows of them, a who's who of teen heroes. Under the throb of music he hears people talking about the new year but that can't be right because that's months away.

He sees a flash of purple and a familiar long neck. Kate. He grabs her hand, reassured that it's real. She moves in and he goes with it; kissing her puts the world back in place. Kate is familiar, Kate makes sense even though they haven't kissed in ages. He forgets what David's lips felt like, forgets the way everyone announces the new year, ignores the jealous looks the shirtless DJ directs their way and lets his body move. The questions rattle around in his head when he stops, useless and annoying, so he concentrates on the smell of Kate's lilac perfume, her delighted laughter as they dance, the whirl of colors and how it feels good to have control of his body. She talks and he responds but he doesn't hear any of it. They don't kiss again and he's fine with that.

When the party winds down David reappears with Billy and Teddy, all talking like they know each other. The DJ and some star-spangled girl join in too. A team. A new team. When the fuck did that happen? Why didn't he know about this before? Somebody would've told him about it, invited him to join. Why would David be on it and not him?

Maybe it really is New Year's.

Billy, in the gayest shirt ever and reeking of spiked punch, hugs Tommy hard on sight.

The bottom drops out of his stomach. Something is very, very wrong.

He tries to remember what happened but he can't. There's nothing there but blankness, not even a hint like the times he's been blackout drunk. The warehouse, the party. David's face contorted in fear, David's face contorted by proximity. Nothing in between. It takes effort to listen to the conversation around him. Everyone's happy and relaxed, nothing seems to be wrong. Maybe it's just him.

There's talk of breakfast and Tommy realizes he has no idea when he last ate. No idea when he last did anything. Watching stars-and-stripes girl kick a star-shaped portal into existence doesn't even rank in the weird shit happening tonight. Once they're in an alleyway the dreamlike quality of the party is gone but the sense of wrongness persists, like Tommy fell into some alternate universe. Everything seems the same but then stars-and-stripes flirts with Kate or David looks at Teddy and looks away all awkward and it's back to feeling wrong. It doesn't make any fucking sense, how could they have interacted enough to have history? If it really is months later, did he vanish from the warehouse? What was he doing? Why the fuck are they talking about Loki?

"It's good to have you back," Teddy says as he puts one of his huge hands on Tommy's shoulder and squeezes.

Tommy shrugs it off, hating the way his skin crawls at the contact, hating the way they're all looking at him like he's back from the dead. Tommy smiles as hard as he can. "Can't have a party without me."

"Your suit." Billy says, standing in front of Tommy and blocking his path. "You should change since none of us are in costume."

What? Oh right, breakfast. He doesn't want to change. The suit came with him, the suit is what he wears into the unknown. Getting away from everyone might make it easier to figure out what's going on. "Whatever, I'll go home and—"

David says, "About that—" at the same time Billy says, " **New clothes for Tommy** ," in that weird echoing tone that means he's doing magic. In a flash of blue light his suit is gone, replaced by khakis and a v-neck sweater like he's a model from _Lame Fashion Weekly_. He can feel the weight of his cellphone and wallet in his pocket so he thanks Billy and rolls his eyes instead of telling him to fuck off. Billy is as 'helpful' as ever; no change there. He moves to pull his phone out and look at the date but stops himself. Knowing he really is missing months will be just as shitty as his phone claiming it's some other day and there's no need to deal with that now.

"He'll need a shirt, too," Teddy says as he nods at the DJ. Billy obliges with another burst of blue. He's never been so casual about his magic like this. The DJ sighs at the thin t-shirt but leaves it on.

They enter the diner and Teddy greets the staff by name as they head to a circular booth in the back away from all the other customers. Great, they're fucking _regulars_. Tommy slides between David and New Girl because sitting next to them is less jarring than sitting by Billy and Kate like he used to. He takes a moment to run his hands over the green vinyl of the cushion, the hard edge of the table. This is real.

Without context none of the conversations he hears makes sense. Nobody picks up a menu but Tommy. Maybe it's a parallel universe where nobody needs to debate what they're ordering. That wouldn't be so bad. Or maybe they've been here so many times they all know what they want.

"Oh Tommy, we should introduce you." Teddy pipes up, smiling that horribly earnest smile. It's reassuring and Tommy isn't sure if reassuring is a good thing right now. Teddy gestures to the two newcomers. "Tommy, this is Noh-Varr and America Chavez."

He turns to stars and stripes. " _America_ , really?"

"Really." Her voice is loaded with enough _don't fuck with me_ Tommy likes her instantly even if she's way more ridiculous than Eli was about the patriotic thing.

 _Blue suit, joints all wrong, red hands reaching for him_ —

"She's Ms America, interdimensional kicker of asses," Kate adds. She waves a hand at the DJ, voice flat, "and that's Marvel Boy."

"Noh-Varr," he says quietly, face like some kind of tragic marble statue. The exchange confirms what Tommy suspected—a recent, ugly breakup. Which Tommy is now part of since he kissed Kate. Great, it's Eli all over again.

Wait, this guy looks familiar. "I know you. Didn't we kick your ass at some point?"

"Mind control. I got better." He shrugs one shoulder.

The waitress arrives, smiling at the table before looking at David expectantly.

"Coffee for everyone," he begins, then rattles off a succession of orders for everyone including Tommy.

Tommy hates the way his stomach churns at hearing his _exact fucking order_ come out of David's mouth.

"The fuck?" The words barely make it through the tightness in his throat.

David's pale brown eyes snap to him, full of irritating concern. "I should've—"

"He surprised us with that same move." Billy says with a smile that means a story. "You should've seen Loki's face, it was priceless."

David's still watching him but he hasn't said anything else. Good. No need to start the _what's wrong with Tommy_ debate. Though if he's been with the team the whole time Billy must've covered that already. "Loki?" So he hasn't been hearing things.

Billy and Teddy look at each other then back at Tommy, launching into a story of Loki's greatest hits that barely makes any sense because the Loki they talk about is a mischievous kid and not some evil old dude. They talk about some parasite named Mother and journeying in space with Noh-Varr's spaceship and in all kinds of crazy-ass worlds via America's interdimensional kicks. It sounds like something Billy dreamed after marathoning a new sci-fi show. Mother must've kidnapped him or wiped his memories, that's why he can't remember. He almost wants to ask but doesn't. It's over. No need to be a baby about it.

Kate chimes in occasionally, busy being best gal pals with short-shorts and ignoring sad DJ, but agrees with everything. America punched women with black holes for heads, they had the multiverse's best Korean BBQ, they saw lots of alternate versions of themselves. Sounds like they all had a great fucking time without him. David spends more time watching Tommy than talking which works for Tommy since he still has no idea how to react to the kiss.

"So you beat the bad guys with the power of gay?" Tommy asks with a dubiously raised eyebrow as they describe the epic battle of Mother's defeat.

"True love saved the day," Billy and Teddy say at the same time. They turn and make gooey eyes at each other, smiling like they're the only people in the room.

"So much boy kissing," America mutters and Kate laughs like it's an old joke.

David says something under his breath. Louder, he says, "Just her. The other thing left." David looks like he wants to bust out charts and diagrams to explain everything. "The thing in Patriot's costume was—"

"What's it matter? It's all over." Tommy interrupts. He shoves waffle into his mouth and it's suddenly hard to chew over the memory of that thing. The sooner they stop talking about it the sooner he can not think about it. He's got enough to go on. "So you threw a saved-the-world party since everyone was around and that's that?"

"We fought her a few days ago and regrouped for the party. I don't know how we managed it so last minute." Teddy turns to David. "Did you—"

"Loki," David says. "A parting gift."

"When'd you find that out?" Billy asks with a frown.

"When he was hitting on me. Right before Not-Patriot showed up." David says like it's totally normal to have an evil god hit on you. Wait, was this the kid Loki hitting on him? Gross.

Billy turns his smile to David. "I'm glad you were able to convince it to bring back Tommy."

Wait, what? So he wasn't saved until in the middle of the party?

"There wasn't much convincing involved. It's like it wanted the opportunity." David ducks his head. "It was only aligned with Mother to suit its purposes. I suspect it's trying to make events happen a certain way. I tried to find out more and it just—happened."

Did he mean—no, no fucking way they were kissing because David had kissed the _thing_ that kidnapped him and that somehow fixed everything. Was rescuing him an _afterthought_?

Billy continues to smile at David but there's something weird about his expression. Something hard in the shape of his eyes. "I can't thank you enough for your help. It's amazing you were able to find us in this diner when we'd been traveling so much."

David shrugs. "Pattern recognition is one of my many talents. Three weeks was too long; I need to improve."

Billy was already traveling? So Mother's invasion happened before he was kidnapped. Billy hadn't been looking for him at all. Billy reformed the team without him and David, coffee-and-noodles friend David, who had known Tommy for all of _two days_ , was the one to tell him about whatever went down in that warehouse?

Tommy grips the fork so hard it bends out of shape. He forces his body still so he doesn't accidentally explode the table.

There's no way. There's no fucking way that's true.

*******

David watches Tommy's interactions with the team more than he speaks. Having an idea of Tommy's personality from their brief time together and hearing about him secondhand isn't the same as firsthand observation.

Finally seeing Billy and Tommy next to each other is striking not in their similarities, but their differences. It's not that David wasn't expecting it—he'd remembered Tommy clearly enough to mentally compare—but seeing it firsthand is fascinating. Tommy's more muscular and lean, pale, his eyes somewhere between blue and green. His expression is sharper and shows in small ways. Billy is darker all around with his brown hair, brown eyes, slightly browner skin. He's softer in physique and expression, his heart is on his sleeve with every wide smile.

Personally he doesn't understand why the team doesn't lay the events out in an orderly fashion to fill in the gaps but given how they described Tommy's rescue from imprisonment skipping over the details is nothing new. In the retelling the story becomes something lighter, easier, an adventure instead of an ordeal. Perhaps that's why they rebound so easily and stay so positive—they adjust their story and make it their reality. It's their norm but David is convinced something is off about Tommy. He's smiling and laughing, making jokes, the appearance of carefree. It's a front. David knows he doesn't have enough to be sure, that he could be projecting. Tommy's microexpressions happen too fast to give him much in the way of tells. It's not enough to go on.

Billy talks about when they first met David in the diner. Tommy's smile vanishes for a second but It's hastily put back on. His eyes are hard. "So some of that stuff was before David?"

Billy is surprised, as if that was obvious from his haphazard storytelling. "Well, yeah. The fake Skrulls, and Loki getting us to pay his tab, and—"

"It's a shame Loki didn't stay." Teddy says, voice heavy with several kinds of disappointment.

Billy shakes his head, nudging Teddy with his shoulder and smiling. "It is, but one morally ambiguous person in green is enough for the team."

"You would've liked Loki," Kate says to Tommy. "He likes causing trouble as much as you do."

Everyone laughs except David. Tommy is laughing but his hands have curled into fists.

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard enough." Tommy's voice is light but his gestures aren't. He's angry. There's tension in his posture, his grip on his fork is too tight.

David could be wrong. He's on a streak of mistakes and an unintended kiss is certainly enough to throw him off. At least that hadn't happened in front of the others—the last thing he needs is to piss off Billy again. Billy doesn't look concerned. Kate doesn't either. One of them would do something if they thought Tommy was truly upset by what happened.

"Fuck no," Tommy says to whatever Teddy had been saying.

David reviews what he'd picked up subconsciously. Ah, Billy and Teddy were suggesting Tommy move back in with the Kaplans.

"Been there, done with that. Lame topics mean it's my cue to leave." Tommy's fork clatters on the plate. It's bent in the shape of his fingers.

"Wait," David calls, reaching out but not touching. "Can I talk to you a sec?"

Tommy stills, surveying David with trepidation. "Sure." He walks for the door.

David tosses down enough cash to cover him and Tommy—he doubts Tommy has money on him and he's surely going to skip out on the check. America and Kate look at him, curious. "Job stuff," David says. It's true but only part of what he wants to bring up.

Seeing Tommy with his hands in his pockets, shoulders slouched as he paces in the parking lot, makes David's chest clench. It didn't feel like much of a rescue but Tommy is back and he's glad of it, gladder than he expected for somebody he's known for so little time.

"What is it?" Tommy asks like he's wary David is going to try to kiss him again. It's tempting to apologize but bringing it up will only aggravate Tommy.

"You've been gone awhile. Months. After the warehouse I tracked down where you lived and talked my way into your apartment. I cleaned out your fridge, took out your trash, made sure you wouldn't get evicted or have a bunch of unpaid utility bills." He'd had to move out of his own place to afford it and killed much of his savings but now that Tommy's back it feels worth it. "I'm sorry I invaded your privacy."

Tommy's mouth twitches but it doesn't turn into a smile or a frown. He's silent a long moment before he speaks. "You seriously convinced that old battleaxe to let you in?"

David shrugs. "I said you were in the hospital. Your landlady stopped caring once I told her rent would still be paid."

Tommy stares at him like he's waiting for a punchline but the wariness gives way to something else trapped between angry and grateful. Then he starts laughing. He laughs hard enough he doubles over, hair obscuring his face, reaching out a hand that almost lands on David's shoulder. It's loud and full of energy like tension snapped. The hand falls away as he starts to lose his breath. "Fucking seriously?"

"I told our boss what happened. You still have a job if you want to go back."

His laughter peters out. "Ugh. I don't want to go back, that place sucks. But it pays well enough." Tommy's eyes meet David's. "What about you?"

"He was less forgiving of my sudden extended absence." And lack of two weeks notice, and the few choice words David had for somebody so willing to write an employee off as a loss after doing him the favor of investigating a break-in.

"So you're out? Good. Told you you've got too much brain for that shithole."

"Thanks. We could do lunch again sometime, if you want." He'll miss having Tommy as a coworker. They'd had a real connection and he's managed to screw that up. Somewhere under the current awkward that remains he can say the right thing to bring it out again. Tommy hasn't responded so he needs to say it now. David meets Tommy's gaze, smiles, and says the first thing that pops into his head. "I think noodles, coffee, home invasion, stalking, meeting most of the people you know, and waffles make us friends."

"Sounds about right," Tommy grins. The air between them lightens. Maybe there's something to the way he handles trauma.

"You're welcome to return the home invasion once I move out of my parent's place. It's only fair."

That sends Tommy into another peal of laughter. The door behind them rings as the others exit. The laughter fades when Tommy looks up and sees them. "I'll text you about noodles."

"Sure," David says, warmth surging through him that he hasn't ruined this friendship. And then Tommy's gone.

The others approach. Teddy gives him a thumbs-up. "Looks like the angry stage is over. Nice going."

"I didn't do anything." David didn't fix whatever's going on with Tommy. He made Tommy laugh a little, made sure he wasn't resenting the kiss, nothing more.

"Then what were you talking about?" Billy asks.

David gives a half-truth—he knows it'll be the first of many. It's not his place to air suspicions of Tommy's emotional state. "We bonded over our asshole boss. He still has a job. I don't."

"Are you going to be okay?" Teddy's face goes soft with concern.

"This guy," Kate says, putting an arm over David's shoulder for a one-armed hug. "Is super-employable. He'll be fine."

It feels good to be surrounded by optimism and concern. "Thanks."

"Nothing gets a Young Avenger down!" She pulls out of the hug and rubs her bare arms. "Except the futzing cold."

"Let's get you home, princess." America says with a smile, offering her arm to Kate.

"Brilliant idea. I am so done with these heels." Kate sees what America is going to do and waves her arms frantically. "Oh no, _no no_ , you—"

America sweeps Kate off her feet, shouting and laughter ensuing as Kate protests.

Noh-Varr looks away, pale and lugubrious in the cool light. He drags his gaze over to David and stares a long moment before offering, "Would you like a ride home?"

"I've got it." Billy says. He wants to talk in private; going by his expression it's about Tommy, not Teddy. "See you later."

Noh-Varr nods and leaves.

Billy, Teddy, and David all walk to the alleyway slowly. Billy turns to face David. "Thank you for helping us find Tommy."

"It's good to have you on the team," Teddy adds. He shifts as Billy steps to his side, putting an arm around Billy and casually occupying the same space like they never broke up.

It hurts a little to see but David knows he's being ridiculous and suppresses it. It's not like they're doing it to intentionally hurt him. He nods in the direction Tommy left. "Will he be okay?"

Teddy's face is a mix of affection, admiration, and exasperation. "Tommy's moods come as fast as they go."

"Nothing gets him down." Billy shakes his head. "Kidnapping, death, everything slides right over him.

"He won't want to know anything else?"

Billy shakes his head. "He'd rather move onto new things than preoccupy himself with the old. It was a little disturbing after Cassie and Vision—"

Teddy squeezes Billy's shoulders.

"—But that's just how he is. Not the type to dwell on anything. He's above crying." Billy gives a helpless shrug. "I guess I got all the emotions between the two of us."

Tommy had tears his eyes in the warehouse when he was running away from that cosmic horror. Not that David would ever share that. "You're definitely not the Stepford Cuckoos," David agrees.

That gets a laugh. "I think we'd strangle each other if we were telepathic."

"We'll see you sometime soon, yeah?" Teddy says with a warm smile—he means it. Billy's smile is slower but just as warm. Loki was right about how easily they forgive.

Whatever's going on with Tommy, it's nice to feel welcomed by the others. "Sure. I've got to find a new job and apartment but that shouldn't take long."

Billy and Teddy look at each other and shake their heads like one being. "Will you help us whenever we move out and need jobs?"

"Knowledge is meant to be shared," David says over the pang of envy in his chest. It's almost enough to make him regret turning Loki down. Almost. He wonders if Loki knew he'd be turned down and offered it as a balm to David's recent rejection. No sense dwelling on it. Loki's gone, Tommy's not interested, Teddy's happy with Billy, and David will manage. "What are friends for?"

Teddy looks at David, eyes sympathetic. "Good night, David."

Billy glows blue. " **Send David home send David h** —"

Once the blinding light fades David finds himself on his parents' doorstep. Time to be normal for a while.

*******

It's easy for David to fall back into mundanity—looking for jobs and apartments, spending time with his family, developing a more extensive workout routine to fit his increased activity levels, checking his finances and making prospective plans. The nitty-gritty details are pleasantly boring. No explosions, no hiding from an interdimensional parasite, no drama greater than his sister complaining about the choice of vegetable. Well, that's not entirely true. The questions from his parents about his time away have been increasing by the day, as are the ones about his future plans. It's not like when he'd left for and later come home from Utopia—the screaming arguments and lectures had been constant—but his parents want to know more and that'll need addressed soon.

The team have all texted intermittently in their own processes of adjustment. Kate is a daily flurry of complaints about Clint and her family interspersed with pictures of Lucky. Billy includes David on couple group messages but nothing beyond that—hardly surprising. Teddy sends a few polite inquiries that fade out after a few texts. America asks questions about their world as she looks for a place to settle. Noh-Varr takes selfies of his growing beard and makes sad playlists. No word from Loki, which is probably for the best. David hopes he succeeds in reinventing himself. Tommy sends a photo of an incredibly fat pigeon on top of the Space Needle and a few other pictures from the top of other tall buildings or monuments. None of them have any text but David is glad for the contact all the same.

Two weeks after the party, Tommy sends him actual text.

→Noodles?

David smiles.

←How's 1pm today?

→Don't be late slowpoke.

It'll be good to get out of the house. While he had a lot to get done and he'd missed his family, it's past time he was social with friends again, even if it means commuting over an hour through Chicago winter. As David stands in front of his closet debating what to wear he has to stop and reevaluate.

He's excited. __Too__ excited, like he's going on a date.

 _Shit_. He takes a long breath in and releases it slowly. Sure, he and Tommy hit it off better than David's had with anyone in years and Tommy is attractive, but with the two awkward kisses it'd be disastrous to pursue it. Tommy isn't interested and David is still reeling from Teddy. Imagining something that isn't there won't help. It's stress seeking solace.

By the time he's boarding the L the unwanted flare of attraction is gone. Clearly a new relationship would be good—he's in the right place emotionally, he's meeting new people, and it'd ease the tension with the team. All he needs to do is find somebody who's actually interested. And single. And not Loki. He spends the ride people-watching, spinning useless fantasies to keep his mind occupied.

Walking into Happy Noodles and seeing Tommy wave his arm enthusiastically makes David feel the yawning gap of time between them. This is their lost next time, aligning them back on a familiar path. If Tommy wants to start over like nothing happened then so will David. No kiss, no dramatic rescue, no awkwardness. He's much more relaxed than he was during the team breakfast.

"Hey," Tommy greets, sliding a glass of water over to David. "I ordered for you, same thing you got last time."

It takes him a moment to remember what that'd be as such a mundane fact was long buried under more relevant details. David had wanted the pho but no sense in refusing a nice gesture. He's about to ask how much he owes Tommy but stops himself. Tommy would ask if he wanted David to pay up; this is a thank-you gesture. Pointing that out would be a bad start. "Thanks. Did I keep you waiting?"

" _Ages_." He waves his hands for emphasis. "No idea how you snails deal with public transport."

"Desensitized from frequent exposure. Also, lack of alternatives."

"I could give you a ride." Tommy leans forward as he says it. It's not flirting but it's close. Not the coping mechanism he'd expected from Tommy. It makes sense—it indirectly acknowledges and dismisses what happened, makes David the one on edge.

David leans back, raising a dubious eyebrow. "No thanks. I enjoy not puking."

"That was phasing with Billy, completely different. And I'm sure you have a stronger stomach. It doesn't take much to set him off." Tommy's tone turns sharp as soon as he says Billy's name. Before David can ask their order is called out and Tommy is rising out of his chair to get it just a little too fast to be normal.

Tommy puts down their food and starts picking out the green peppers from his meal, making a greasy pile on his tray. He gestures at them with the chopstick. "You want them? Peppers are gross unless they set my mouth on fire."

David picks one up to accept the offer. "Billy doesn't like them either."

"But he eats them anyway. I don't get it. I never got any of that eat-your-vegetables bullshit until I lived with the Kaplans. Mrs K was on some kind of nutrition crusade. I couldn't eat anything without her weighing in. Went on about ruined dinners and balanced diets or whatever. Wouldn't let me eat bacon in the house, either. At least Wanda isn't around enough to join in." Tommy rolls his eyes. "I know how to take care of myself. My parents never gave a shit about what I ate and I did fine."

"Mine forced me to eat vegetables when I was a kid but I stopped protesting and they stopped nagging as I hit puberty. My powers caused a lot of changes before I realized what was going on."

Tommy peers at David, considering. "That must've been weird. I mean it's all weird, that's the whole mutant deal, but my brain speeding up was the worst part of my powers coming out. The other stuff was way easier to figure out than that."

David can imagine the disorientation of seconds dragging out, of Tommy's body moving beyond his control. The vibrations would've been the worst. David wonders how in control of his powers he'd been when the school blew up—Billy and the others never knew if it was intentional or not. David knows Tommy would take it as accusatory if he asked, so he clamps down on the curiosity. Either way, the situation must've been bad and Tommy didn't deserve to be locked up for it.

"It was frustrating. I'd understand everything so easily at school but when I got home, it wasn't as clear. I'd ace every test but my homework was never as good. My study skills and good memory helped but there was still a noticeable gap."

"What, you got 91 instead of 100?" Tommy laughs. "I bet you never went below a B."

"Guilty as charged. Learning's always been something I enjoyed. I read the encyclopedia for fun in elementary school."

"Real shocker." They share a chuckle. Tommy finds a pepper he'd missed earlier and deposits it directly into David's food. "My powers tanked my grades, not that they were great to begin with. I would've failed that year if I hadn't ended up in super juvie." He smiles but there's no joy in the expression. "There's an upside to everything."

"Did the jail get you your GED in between being morally bankrupt?"

"Nah. Mrs K badgered me into taking the test since I refused to go back to school." Tommy's expression darkens—David is sure it has more to do with Billy's episode of catatonic depression than the GED. And something else, something bigger is bothering him. "The Kaplans are trying to get me to move back in."

David uses chewing as an excuse to not talk. Tommy fills the silence. "I'm emancipated and almost eighteen, why the fuck would I do that? They aren't my parents and sharing a bedroom sucks."

Billy had been nostalgic for the time Tommy had lived with him during their multiverse trip. He'd talked about how nice it'd be for everyone to be together again. David wonders if Billy realizes how out-of-place Tommy felt. David keeps his response mild to give Tommy room to rant. "Four bedrooms?"

"Yeah. One for the parents, Teddy, the brats, and us super twins. I don't get why I had to share a room. It's not like a shapeshifter and a guy who can do anything with his mind would have any trouble fucking if they want to. Not that they wanted to then, with Billy—" His tone grows harsher. "It's stupid. I don't want to deal with any of that shit. Billy's whole obsession with family is weird and I don't need the drama. It's better when people don't give a shit because then you can do what you want." Tommy's words are directed inward, not outward—a reminder of the risks of letting yourself open up. Tommy is a loner more by necessity than nature.

"That also means nobody's around to help you when you're in trouble. It would've been hard to defeat Mother if I hadn't maintained a network I could call on."

Tommy looks David in the eye, blue-green cut with startling white lashes. "You're right. It's useful to have people to watch your back."

Warmth washes over David as he realizes this is Tommy's thank you for the rescue. He pushes past personal pride and demurs, "That's what teams are for."

Tommy drops his eyes to resume eating, picking up noodles with too much vigor. "Yeah, when they're not drama central."

David laughs bitterly. "Not the best team for that." Especially with the way he's been stirring things up.

Tommy's scowl lightens—teasing the team puts him at ease. "Not like we have a history of smart decisions. They're the ones who decided it was a good idea to follow the instructions of a robot they barely knew and break a convict out of prison, so joke's on them." Tommy shrugs. "Now that we're back together might as well stay while it lasts." His phone rings. He scowls but answers anyway. "What is it, gramps?"

David only knows of one person Tommy could call that. He eats more noodles, not staring but not hiding that he's paying attention. If Tommy wanted privacy he'd leave. There's a deep voice, familiar though David can barely hear it.

"Yeah," Tommy twirls one of his chopsticks, faster and faster. "Yeah, not dead." Eyeroll, the chopstick is now a circular blur. "Nope." The voice is cut off as Tommy hangs up. "This fucking family. I get a year of peace and now they're all bugging me again."

"Not the first time Magneto has called you." David observes.

Tommy's eyes narrow, shoulders bunching.

"I'm surprised. He's more a dramatic entrances than phone call kind of guy."

Some of the tension drains out. "You've met him?"

"On Utopia. He and Cyclops would discuss the future of mutantkind while standing around looking important. Never talked with him personally as an ex-mutant is beneath his attention." Even one in charge of the youth division.

Tommy nods. "He's only calling out of pride. Can't have one of his family members dying on his watch, never mind that we barely talk. He doesn't give a shit about me. Doesn't give a shit about Billy either but Billy's more useful."

"Billy mentioned you admire him." In their downtime David heard stories of all the team's previous exploits. It'd been strange to hear so much about somebody he'd met so briefly. The Tommy the team told stories about wasn't quite the Tommy David met, and neither line up with the Tommy in front of him. If he isn't careful he'll make a bad assumption—he doesn't know Tommy, not yet.

"Billy doesn't get it. He acts like I'm gonna turn into a supervillain or something since I don't idolize Captain America." Tommy finishes the last of his noodles and switches to downing his soda. "Magneto is way more impressive. Nobody can deny he's powerful, he's changed the world. Nobody gives him shit because they're too busy wetting themselves. Nobody does that with Cap."

"He's certainly made a difference for mutants, for better or for worse."

"Which are you?" Curiosity, not accusation.

"Both. I thought about it a lot when I first found out I was a mutant. I didn't agree with any of the major figures exactly but I knew how I felt about being a mutant. I agreed that sometimes changes require upheaval where violence is unavoidable. I was so certain about everything." David looks at Tommy and smiles, bitter. "I lost a lot of friends siding with Cyclops. I was self-righteous, thought that they couldn't see as clearly as I did."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Gotta have an opinion or somebody will make it for you." He leaps on the next sentence like it can erase the last one. "Cyclops is such a tool. It's hard to believe you followed him anywhere."

"Not my best decision," David agrees, hating how it still hurts. "I'd defined myself by being a mutant. Somebody accused me of overcompensating and maybe he was right. I lost my powers, my identity, my girlfriend, and my team. I wanted to keep what I could." All his life he's been challenged by assholes—not man enough, not black enough, not straight enough, not smart enough, not good enough. He'd foolishly thought being a mutant would be the one thing nobody could question. The loss had hit _hard_.

Tommy frowns. "But you still have your powers."

"Sort of. I didn't have anything right after M-day. A little later after I almost died and my girlfriend broke up with me, the Stepford Cuckoos unlocked my memories of everything I'd learned. At that point my powers didn't redefine anything about who I am, just expanded it. I knew myself better."

"Did she break up with you because you got depowered?" Tommy's tone makes it clear he considers that a low blow. It feels nice to have somebody angry on his behalf even if it's an old wound.

"My weakness scared her. She reacted to me almost dying by kissing the biggest asshole in the school." The years have eased the hurt to something duller. Definitely time to move on, make better memories.

"Anybody who thinks you're weak is a moron. You're powerful enough." _To rescue me_ , he means but doesn't say. "Mutant drama sounds way worse than our team drama. Glad I stay out of it."

David smiles. Despite all the weirdness that's happened they can still talk to each other about their pasts and get it. Tommy doesn't judge, or pity, or console—he accepts and moves on. "Anyone willing to put on a costume and be a vigilante is prone to the dramatic."

"True. At least we've got each other to stay sane. To friends sucking less than family," Tommy toasts with his empty cup.

David raises his water, silently toasting that his friendship with Tommy has resumed.

*******

By the end of the month David lands a job in New York City with a consulting company that hires powers-enhanced experts, valuing results over certificates and degrees. It's flexible, hands-on, pays well, and sure to be less soul-sucking than a call center. A couple days later David signs a lease for a place in Brooklyn. Everyone offers congratulations and their help for his move save Noh-Varr, who claims to be busy. David knows he's avoiding Kate but doesn't push the issue.

Surprisingly everyone agrees to show up before noon. The knock on the door comes promptly at eleven. Teddy, Billy, America and Kate are all there. No sign of Tommy. Is Tommy still avoiding Billy? He hadn't asked and nobody had said anything about it. From what he's gathered the brothers don't spend much time together for all Billy's talk of family. A no-show is disappointing but nothing to worry about. Maybe he can be convinced to help unpack when the others are gone. "Come in. Thanks for helping." He steps back to let them through the doorway.

As they enter everyone peers around the house in turn, inspecting different things in the entryway and the living room at the end of the short hallway. Teddy looks at architecture, Billy at furniture, and Kate at books, and America turns back toward the door.

She frowns. "Where are Noh-Varr and Tommy?"

David is surprised she's the one to bring it up. "Noh-Varr can't make it. Tommy hasn't responded to my reminder text."

"He's probably partying in Japan and forgot." Teddy smiles, apologetic.

"He does that." Billy all but rolls his eyes. "Is your family here?" he asks, glancing around and clearly dismissing the Tommy issue. Parental introductions are part of his ingrained social norms given how eager he was to introduce his own.

"Not today. They're at work and still adjusting to me being a hero again. They could use some time to forget about superpowers for a while. Another time."

"Nobody's here to show us baby David pictures? I'm crushed." Kate grins.

"There's a few on the mantel," David gestures at the living room. Kate strides over to investigate, America in her wake.

"Where's your stuff?" Teddy asks. "In your room?"

"My room is my mom's office. We're both glad I'm leaving," David explains as he ascends the stairs, pointedly not thinking about Teddy in a room he's slept in. "Everything's in there or the hallway."

"How old is your sister?" Kate asks as she and America follow them up the stairs. "That's your sister, right?"

"Yeah, Kim. She's sixteen and will hold a grudge for months that she didn't get to meet any of you."

"She likes heroes?" Teddy smiles softly. "We could meet her another time."

David ignores the way his heart squeezes. "She's still hoping to develop powers. Now that she's confirmed not a mutant or an inhuman I think my parents are worried she'll go running toward a chemical spill."

Billy laughs. "One of my brothers was like that. Then he decided pro wrestlers were cooler." Teddy and Billy exchange horrified looks.

"Okay," David says, getting down to business now that they're all in the upstairs hallway. The doors are all identical tan wood, closed to preserve privacy. He gestures to the pile of boxes lined up between the doors. "All the boxes in the hallway and in the office are going." He opens the nearest door on the right. The office is cramped with furniture and more boxes. "The bed, empty bookshelves, and couch go too."

"Where do you want the portal?" America looks over to Billy. "Unless you're handling it?"

He shakes his head, bangs flopping. "Better if you do."

"Have it in this doorway," David indicates his sister's room which is directly across from the office. "And open up directly into the doorway of my apartment. The landlady knows we're coming, no surprises on that end. I made sure she's hero and mutant friendly and knew what she'd be getting into."

"We should do that when we move out," Teddy says, turning to Billy.

"I'm sure we can convince my parents to let us room together once I'm eighteen. It's cheaper and I can give us privacy."

America pulls her leg back and kicks the portal into existence, the star larger than usual but not large enough to avoid a lip between the bottom two arms.

David stops listening to their discussion to step through the portal to his new apartment, checking over everything one last time. Kitchen and adjoining living room, bedroom, bathroom all in the same state. He runs a hand over the pale blue wall. It'll be nice to have his own place again.

America comes in carrying David's desk. "Where do you want everything?"

"Living room. I'll sort it out later."

"This is where Tommy would be useful," Kate complains around a box as she walks in. "Where the hell is he?"

David checks his phone—he missed a text from Tommy.

→busy. make it up to you

"Not coming." David says as he heads for the portal. He backs into the kitchen to let Billy and Teddy through.

"Sorry my brother's a jerk," Billy smiles wryly, holding up one side of the couch with a blue glow. "He's back to his usual aggravating speedster self."

"Tommy will be Tommy," Teddy says from his end of the couch as he steps over the lip of the star.

Billy nods, sighing. "It's hard to remember why I missed him."

That doesn't sound like what he's been seeing but David lets it pass—they know Tommy better and now's not the time. "It's fine. You guys are more than enough help. You saved me having to pay for movers."

David heads through the portal, grabbing the top of the nearest pile of boxes in the hallway.

Kate follows him and sighs over her new load of boxes. "Movers are better because they do all the work."

"If you can afford it," America says before David can. She picks twice as many boxes as Kate. "Come on, it's not like you lack the upper body strength."

They head back into his apartment as Billy and Teddy grab their own loads. David walks past the kitchen to put his load in the living room.

"Having it doesn't mean I want to use it." Kate sighs as she puts a box of kitchen items on the counter. "Not for boring stuff."

America nudges Kate with her hip as she walks by. "Woman up."

Teddy comes back through portal with his arms elongated to loop around several boxes. "So David, your parents are cool with heroing?"

"Yeah. They hesitated at first but had no problems when I was offered a place at Xavier's school. Utopia caused some arguments but they've always encouraged me to make my own decisions. They'll criticize my choices if they don't like them but they're my mistakes to make."

Teddy smiles. "You have great parents."

"I do. I lucked out." David adds, "You okay, after the whole Mother business?"

"I will be." Teddy looks over to Billy as he walks back to David's parents' house, eyes soft. America and Kate follow Billy. "The Kaplans are amazing."

He nods—anyone willing to take in their son's orphaned boyfriend and his long-lost magical twin in addition to their two other kids is exceptionally generous. They both head into his mom's office. David nudges his mother's plastic storage bins further away from his pile of things. "Are they taking everything okay?"

Teddy grabs David's desktop tower and monitor, doubling his forearms to hold them better. He hesitates as he considers his words.

"Tommy's making them worry because he hasn't even bothered to call them," Billy says as he walks into the room. He unloaded fast; he must be worried.

Teddy jumps but David remains still—they hadn't been doing anything wrong. They were just talking.

Billy looks between them and his worry vanishes. "I've tried to tell him he should move back in with us but he won't listen."

David chooses the most diplomatic thing he can say as he picks up his plastic bin of computer items. "He likes being independent."

"Likes not listening to anyone is more like it." Billy floats a stack of boxes into the air. "He's so—"

"Billy," Teddy soothes. "He knows you care. He'll turn around."

David leaves to avoid the rest of the conversation and get some space to kill the jealous spark. _Get over it. It was never going to happen._

"My family is the worst!" Kate finishes whatever she was discussing with America as David walks into the apartment. "All families drive you crazy. It's like, a rule of families. Right, David?"

He puts down his boxes with a wry smile. "If I mention somebody more than once my family assumes I'm interested in them."

"Which of us do they think you're dating?" America asks, the smile in her eyes saying she knows it must not be Teddy or David wouldn't have brought it up. Billy and Teddy pause as they come through the portal out of curiosity.

"Tommy. I mentioned him when I explained why I was going away and my sister decided it's much more romantic if I'm looking for my lost boyfriend. Ever since she found out I was a mutant she's convinced I'm living in a movie and fills in the blanks accordingly."

Kate laughs. "Don't ever let her meet Tommy."

"It'd shatter all her dreams," Billy checks the label on the box before putting it down. He lingers, waving Teddy on. "Have you seen him lately, Kate?"

America and Teddy head back for the next load.

"Not since the party." She grunts as she shoves her box closer to the wall.

David feels shock wash through his body. He knows Tommy and Kate have always been casual but he'd expected them to be in closer contact. It makes no sense to react so strongly to something so simple. It's none of his business anyway. He listens as he walks away.

"I try texting him but he never replies anything beyond 'not dead' once a day. He acts like it's some great burden that I care."

Kate's voice softens. "Don't worry so much, worrywart. He's rubber and you're glue, that's just how you work emotionally."

Billy laughs. "What?"

"He's thick-skinned and bounces off walls; you cling and bring people together."

"Heads up," America says, alerting David that he's been caught not-so-subtly eavesdropping in the portal.

He gets out of her way so she can carry the bookshelf through. Teddy follows behind her. By the time Billy and Kate come back into the office they've changed topics.

"Does this go?" Billy gestures at the laundry basket full of hangers and the empty trash can.

"Yeah."

Billy takes them and leaves.

David helps Kate pick up the filing cabinet. They carry it to the portal, Kate almost stumbling over the lip.

"Star shapes may look cool but they're super impractical," she grouses. Then her phone starts ringing in her pocket. "Oh, futz."

Before David can take the full weight of the cabinet America appears and takes it off both their hands, effortless. "I've got you, princess."

Kate turns a little pink as she scrambles to dig her phone out of her pocket. "Clint?" She frowns. "Did you forget how to use a phone again?" A tinny voice is just audible though the speakers. "Clint? Clint—use sentences, what's going on? Do you need help?" Kate sighs.

"If you need to go, go," David urges.

"I'll get there as fast as I can." Kate pats down her pockets to check she has everything.

America appears in the portal again sans filing cabinet. She raises her eyebrow at Kate in question.

Kate mouths _please_ at her.

America walks over to his parents' bedroom doorway and aims a kick. It makes a noise like shattering glass.

"Nevermind, Clint, I'm almost there." Kate pulls the phone away from her mouth, sending an apologetic look to David. "My mentor is an idiot. Sorry."

"It's fine," David says with a wave. "Thanks for the help."

"Clint!" Kate growls at the phone as she stomps through the portal. "You better not—"

The portal vanishes. America stares at where it was, frowning.

Billy and Teddy come in though the old portal, glancing around. "Did Kate leave?"

David nods. "Yeah. Clint."

They nod, take up boxes, and continue a discussion they'd been having about the merits of moving Disney's _The Sword and the Stone_ style as they leave for David's new apartment.

"That's been happening a lot recently." David pitches his voice low to keep the comment between them. Kate's complaints are getting more frequent, moving from affectionate to aggravated.

America nods, shrugs, picks up his dresser. "He's a mess. She's struggling but she'll manage."

David hoists his computer chair. "I'm not sure who's mentoring who, between them."

That gets a laugh. "It goes both ways, definitely." They fall into silence as they carry the items through.

She watches Billy and Teddy to walk back to his apartment. David puts his chair down and opens the bedroom door for her.

Once they're alone she asks, "Do you think Tommy's okay?"

David raises his eyebrows in surprise.

America raises hers back. "Nobody's as invulnerable as he acts like he is. Even if they all believe it. Takes one to know one." She tilts her head to the side, the corner of her mouth tilting up. "But you know him, what he's like when he isn't around them."

"Barely."

America scoffs. "Don't be modest, genius-boy."

"I know more than other people would. That doesn't mean I know him. It's a risk to assume too much with powers like mine."

Her eyes narrow. The dresser goes down with a _thunk_ hard enough he's glad it was on carpet. "You do it all the time. Why not now?"

America's forthrightness makes it easy to be honest. He sighs, "I've made a lot of mistakes lately. I don't want to screw it up."

She crosses her arms. "You could screw up either way. You made a mistake; don't let it rule your life."

Not pleasant words but ones he should hear. Perhaps he should reevaluate his behavior. David gestures back outside. They fall silent again as they pass Billy and Teddy. Once they're back in the office he gestures at the deconstructed bed. "Shall we?" David helps her carry in the mattress, stabilizing and opening doors more than bearing weight. They go into his bedroom again. "How long will you stay in New York?"

"A while." She looks around the empty room. "You have a nice set-up. I might try something like it."

"The cost of living in the midwest is cheaper if you don't mind the commute." They head back out of the bedroom.

She shrugs. "I'll see what happens."

They go back to the living room. "My couch is free if you ever need it." He turns to Teddy and Billy as they appear with the next load. "That goes for all of you."

"Thanks," Billy and Teddy say in unison. David knows it'd take a very dire emergency for them to ever take it up but better to offer than not.

Billy gestures at the glowing boxes and floor lamp floating behind him. "I think this is the last of it."

David goes to check. A few more items for each of them and the job is done.

"Do you want help unpacking?" Teddy surveys the room—they made good time. Not having to climb any stairs and using superpowers cut out a lot off the hassle.

"No, you've all done more than enough. I'd offer dinner but I'd rather postpone that until after I've got it presentable."

"Pizza?" America asks.

"Yes. And don't worry, Billy, I do New York style and not Chicago."

Billy makes an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Oh good. Otherwise we'd have to kick you off the team for being a heretic."

"Wiccan can't stand heretics," Teddy says with a sage nod.

They all laugh.

***

"I come bearing hot greasy Dicks!" Tommy announces as he breezes into David's new digs. It's spacious enough Tommy wonders how horrible the rent is. Knowing David he probably geniused up some way to get it cheaper—he's an all-in-one handyman, after all. David emerges behind a stack of boxes, wearing his I'm-not-amused face. He has a good one, the cheekbones really set it off.

Tommy holds out the bag with _Dick's_ and a picture of a drive-in printed on the side. Totally worth the trip to Seattle for the look on David's face. "Want some Dicks?"

David sighs. "You're late."

"More like right on time. I'm way more useful unpacking. And I brought dinner." Tommy waggles the bag and his eyebrows. It was easy to ignore the annoyed texts from Kate, the disappointed one from Teddy, and the critical one from America. Less easy to deal with in-person annoyance but David sounds like he's bitching for the sake of it rather than actually being angry. "C'mon, It's a Dick's Deluxe."

"I should refuse the burger on principle of your terrible sense of humor." David moves toward Tommy and the kitchen, which is mostly box-free.

"But?" Tommy knows he's won David over. There's an almost-smile under the grumpiness.

"I am hungry. Thank you for the burger." David washes his hands and shakes the water off into the sink. "What's on it?"

"Lettuce, pickles, _special sauce_." Tommy leers for effect. "I've got mayo and ketchup packets if you want 'em. And fries."

"Ketchup for the fries is all I need." David takes the bag, removes all the food, and uses it as an impromptu tray for the fries on an open bit of counter. "I'm sure any sauce provided by you is very special."

Tommy snorts, glad he managed to drag David down to making cum jokes. He unwraps one of the burgers, adds mayo and ketchup, and leans against the counter as he eats.

David folds the wrap around his burger to keep the back covered and held together. Before Tommy can make fun of his neat freak ways David says, "You're avoiding Billy."

"We do that a lot. After I moved out we didn't talk much and now that the team's back together he wants to be all buddy-buddy. He'll live." Tommy has had more than enough concern directed at him for a lifetime. Why does everyone always want him to talk about his feelings? Ugh. Billy's sent like twenty texts today. Kate dropped it the first week, America never even brought it up, why the hell can't Billy do it?

David swallows a bite of burger. "He misses you."

"Maybe he should've thought of that before siccing his mom on me. He knows I had my fill of shrinks picking my brain in juvie. I don't need to deal with one in the family." He'd had it in school too. They wanted to slap labels on him to explain why he was a problem child who didn't care for school instead of blaming his shitty parents for being shitty or his teachers for being assholes or classes for being boring. What need does he have for trigonometry, anyway? He's already forgotten everything he studied for the GED. If he does need it he'll ask David. Tommy finishes the rest of the burger in one huge bite.

David nods and leaves it at that. This is why he likes hanging with David—minimal questions and doubt. Billy never gets it and wants to argue, Teddy always wants to know more than Tommy feels like saying. He'd forgotten in their time apart how much their personalities clash. At least Billy isn't spending all his time looking out the window anymore. Tommy eats another burger in the time it takes David to finish his first. "You can keep eating while I unpack. You've got obsessive labels on everything, right?"

"Every box says what room it goes in and what it contains." David squeezes a smear of ketchup on the bag and dips fries in it. "No annotated lists, sorry."

"So I'll have to work to find your porn, huh?" Tommy darts off, re-sorting the boxes into stacks in their respective rooms, assembling the bed (queen size, nice), bookshelves, dresser, and desk. Doing it for a friend is way less annoying than the mind-numbing assembly shit he does at work.

David comes into the room, a few stray drops of water clinging to his hands.

"Finish your bag of Dicks?" Tommy asks. He thumbs through a few magazines he found padding a lamp. Sadly no porn.

"I don't have any dirty magazines or DVDs," David says as he opens one of the boxes of clothes, ignoring Tommy's question. There's a whole stack dedicated to clothes, one for just shoes and Tommy has no idea why the hell anyone would need so much stuff.

Tommy opens the box of hangers and starts putting shirts on hangers and into the closet. "What you're saying is it's all on your computer."

"Brute forcing my passwords won't work. I have security in place to limit attempts."

"That's a yes." Tommy laughs. "Nobody's getting your sex tapes."

"I don't have any sex tapes." David doesn't say it defensively, which takes all the fun out of it. "That would require having sex."

"Whaaaaaaaat?" Tommy is honestly shocked. Somebody with David's looks would have no problem scoring. He's got biceps, and shoulders, and can pull off wearing yellow without looking stupid. "You're a virgin?"

"By most definitions, yes." David isn't looking at Tommy as he unpacks, not that it'd be easy when he's bent over anyway. "My ex-girlfriend and I never got very far and I've been too busy to pursue anyone since."

"But you've got all that knowledge!" Tommy remembers the kiss, which he promptly tries to forget about but it does make him remember something Teddy said—"You're bi, right? You've got twice as many options!"

David opens another box, movements jerky. "That isn't how it works." His voice is flat. Tommy doesn't know what's setting him off but it's definitely a sore spot. "It's not that I haven't tried or that nobody's offered. It's more complicated than that."

"Complicated? How—"

"I made a bad decision and I don't want to talk about it," David gets up and goes to the bathroom. Shit, he sounds mad. And hurt, like he's been rejected. But he said his last girlfriend was years ago and he's been with the team the entire time Tommy was away. Who else could be involved? Loki made a pass and that's creepy but not that bad. What else? Kate and the shirtless alien broke up. America's a space lesbian so she's out. Teddy mentioned a rough patch with Billy where he'd left the team for awhile. Something about getting captured and apologies? In the flurry of texting back in January where Billy sent upwards of thirty a day he'd mentioned unexpected kissing. Something niggles at Tommy's memory. He scans through Billy's more recent texts (now under five a day).

Two recent group selfies from Billy have David almost entirely out of the frame. A third only has David's hand. _That's_ unusual. He scans further back.

→Do you know if David is seeing anyone?

 _Definitely_ weird. Tommy goes back to the ones he'd ignored, knowing he's close.

→We rescued a girl who WOULD NOT STOP hitting on Teddy. David played interference. Oh the irony.

Tommy feels the sense-memory of lips on his. The annoyed look Billy threw David's way, the awkwardness every time Teddy and David are in the same room.

It was _David_ he was talking about, holy shit. David made a pass at Teddy. What a mess. If Teddy is his standard no wonder he's still a virgin. Nobody can compete with buff alien shapeshifter prince charming.

When David comes back Tommy says the first thing he can think of to get them off the subject. "If you're in a dry spell it's a good thing you got Dicks tonight."

That wipes the lingering anger off David's face. He snorts and gestures at the open box. "If you've got time for bad jokes you can put the shoes on the rack."

"You have way too many clothes. Seriously. And you've got zillions of boxes of books and computer equipment. What do you even do with all this stuff?" Tommy looks over where David is putting away his underwear, an army of black briefs. "Who the hell has only one color of underwear? That's just weird." Maybe Tommy should steal the lot and replace them with more interesting kinds. Knowing David he probably has an emergency supply somewhere and that'd take all the fun out of it.

"So sorry my underwear isn't up to your standards. Since you won't be seeing me in them I'm going to continue to not care."

"Harsh!" Tommy laughs as he decides to walk in on David in his underwear sometime just to make a point. Teddy and Billy would always act all scandalized but Tommy doesn't see why it matters, they're all dudes—David's probably more sensible about it. If he isn't Tommy can see how well genius squares off with speedster, which will be fun. "And here I already gave you Dicks. I thought I'd get something nice in return."

David looks up at Tommy, his brown eyes searching, and Tommy realizes he's been flirting. Not like it means anything, it's just stupid jokes. He got in the habit of doing it around Eli because Eli got so hilariously pissy every time, but he hasn't done that with David before and it's a little weird. Whatever, David hasn't done anything since the kiss and he's smart enough to know Tommy is just doing it to make him feel better, so it's fine. "You get a new job to pay for this place?"

David leaps on the new subject. "Consulting job. A little like what I did before but on-site and much better pay. I'm not thrilled with the boss but the money makes up for it."

"It can't be worse than the old place. Bossman complained about all the unfilled requests I wasn't around to do like it was my fault—" Tommy stops himself from saying anything more. "What an asshole." It's a shitty gig but it has enough flexibility and pay Tommy is grateful he gets to keep it. It's his rut to be in. But David is way too smart for help desk shit. Maybe there's more to the job than he's saying. "Think your boss is worse?"

David frowns. "I don't know yet." Which is David saying yes but not wanting to admit it. "I met a few coworkers. One of them was nice."

"Just the one?" What the hell has David gotten himself into?

"I haven't met most of them yet." Now he's getting defensive. Time to drop it.

Tommy heads off to start unpacking the TV and other electronics and their conversation diminishes to questions about what David wants where. In the monotony of unpacking Tommy thinks about the huge, gaping hole in his life. If he asked David would tell him whatever he wants to know. But asking would admit the gap bothers him and it doesn't. It's weird but he'll get over it just like juvie. David's good backup to have around and finally warmed up to the idea of being friends, nobody died, the team's back together. Everything's fine. If he isn't weird about the kidnapping-whatever thing then everyone will drop it and they can get back to normal. He's thinking way too much about this shit anyway. All that matters is now.

***

The next month David's time is consumed with transitioning back into full time work. Despite the lower risk of death it's hard to go back to the daily grind of little annoyances and tedium, although it's nice to have a new city to experience it in. His coworkers mostly annoy him but since he spends so little time with them it's not an issue. The problems are harder than the call center and he's meeting new people constantly, which is good enough. Team contact is sporadic but more frequent. They text and occasionally meet in small groups for a patrol or food but for the most part they keep out of each other's hair. Tommy is the exception, sharing lunch breaks and occasionally stopping by after work.

By the time March rolls around David's developed a comfortable routine. He'd like to break it up more, work in more social time, but there's no rush. He's got plenty of things to keep him occupied. On a lazy Wednesday evening he's mostly ignoring the news as he sits on the couch and reads. Fiction, for once. He's had the endings to thousands of books spoiled for him by knowledge or predictability but new books can still be enjoyable. Science fiction is particularly useful as a thought exercise to see how far his knowledge can take him to create the fantastical technology. He's in the middle of contemplating the horrific bioengineering required to make human ancillaries of a sentient spaceship when his phone rings. He plucks it off the table and frowns at the display before he answers. "Kate, are you alright?"

"What?" There's a half-laugh and a brief pause. "Why are you asking that?" Her tone is just shy of defensive. Something is up.

"Because you're using your phone as a phone."

She sighs, her breath making a static buzz as it hits her speakers. "Well it's me being responsible, because I'm a functional adult who does responsible things like not texting while driving even though this is totally going to kill my neck and futzes up my view of the road. How did people do this before bluetooth?"

"I'll wait if you want to put me on speaker or get a headset." David closes _Ancillary Justice_ and turns off the TV. Whatever this is, it's going to take a while.

"Yeah, just let me—" there's fumbling, thumping, and cursing that sounds suspiciously like she dropped her phone and is trying to pick it up as she drives. He hears barking and a muffled, "Lucky, you aren't helping!"

More thumping, barking, jingling keys and the dull roar of the engine noticeable as it ceases. "David?"

"Seriously, Kate. What's going on?"

"My dramatic exit feels a lot less dramatic and a lot more terrible after driving seven hours. I'm watching a dog poop in a field in the middle of nowhere and this is _so_ not how I saw things playing out. I blame Ohio. All the corn and _midwestness_ is making me crazy."

"Everybody has second thoughts entering Ohio. But why are you there?" David has an idea of what she's going to say but this is a moment where she should be the one talking. "And why do you have Clint's dog?"

"One, this is _my_ dog. He decided to come with me because I know dogs should eat more than pizza. Two, Clint sucks. Three, Clint is a giant stupid sucky man-baby. Four, my family sucks. I'm sick of dealing with stupid adults who don't act like adults and all their stupid stuff, so I'm going to LA where I will have sun and pool boys to give me drinks with little umbrellas in them and I won't have to deal with people who drink coffee from the pot—Lucky, come back!"

It's hard not to laugh. "You forgot the leash."

"Lucky!" she shouts, her voice distant as she runs with the phone in hand. "You don't need to sniff that tree!"

There's rustling and panting and Kate growls about boys needing to pee on everything, "Come on, boy. I'll give you the rest of my panini if you just get in the car. Just get in—oh, thank fuck."

"Kate?"

"Yeah, I'm here," she pants. "Dog situation contained. I'm great at dogs. I just forgot to pick up dog things as I left in my cloud of righteousness."

"You mean huff." Her breathing changes as he says it and he knows the time for badinage is over. He lowers his voice. "What happened?"

"Not anything that hasn't already. Since I'm the Hawkeye with the brain I know when it's time to move on." There's a whump and squeak as she collapses into the car seat.

"Mentor breakups are rough." The memory of his disappointment at Cyclops betraying the beliefs David had quit his team for, fought against his friends for, still stings. "Is this permanent or temporary?"

"I don't know. It was way more clear-cut when I left." There's a moment of silence, then she explodes, "He's just so frustrating! How can adults be so bad at being adults?"

"By being people." Time to shift the topic to something more positive. "So you're going soul-searching in LA?"

"Yeah. Somebody I know suggested that getting some space might help clear my head. Might as well do it by a pool."

David makes a noise in the back of his throat. "Because that advice went so well last time."

"Sure it got Teddy captured _then_ but that doesn't make it bad advice in general." Her voice is kind, kinder than David expected from somebody so close to Billy who could so easily hold a grudge in his stead. David overestimated her anger and he's happy to be wrong. Something about the distance and the intimacy of a voice in their ears has shifted the conversation. She adds since he's been silent too long, "You meant well. We all know that."

"Good intentions didn't stop Mother from taking Teddy." Didn't stop the cosmic horror Patriot from capturing Tommy, either. Some help he'd been.

"You know that's not really your fault. You already know that the dumb stuff you did was dumb and everything turned out fine, so stop feeling guilty. You found Tommy."

He switches the phone to his other hand to force him to stop gripping it so tight. "Kissing an unknown entity in your former teammate's suit hardly counts for anything. It just added to the unwanted kisses I've racked up. Sorry about that, by the way."

"Why are you apologizing?" Now she sounds genuinely confused.

"About kissing Tommy. It was an accident, I didn't know it'd happen. I know you and he—"

Her laughter is loud and reassuringly bright. "There is no _me and Tommy_ anything."

They'd kissed at New Years. It had all the familiarity and ease of a relationship. "But—"

"We've messed around some, I mean, he's a great kisser and Eli would make these hilarious jealous faces every time, it was gold. But that's all it ever was. Tommy doesn't do serious and nor do I. We haven't talked much lately since I've been so busy. How'd you miss that, smartypants?"

"I'm only human." He's relieved, more than he should be. Tommy's flirting is messing with his head.

Her voice is confident, queenly. "So am I. Doesn't make me any less amazing."

They share a moment of silence, David in the quiet hum of his apartment and her in the windy outdoors connected by a thread of sound. He can almost feel it pulling them together into some new kind of friendship. "Why me?"

There's a soft jingle and a dog-whine. She's petting Lucky. "Hmm?"

"Why did you call me? I thought I ranked just above Noh-Varr."

"Marvel Boy is ranked so low right now he throws off all other rankings. Anyway, it's nice to have you on the team. You're blunt, direct, and smart but not asshole-smart. You don't hold your IQ over people's heads and demand to be made leader like some former teammates I could name. You're a good second. Which I'm officially naming you, by the way. I mean it's not a formal thing but I'm leader and I do what I want."

"Thank you." It's amazing how good acceptance makes him feel. It's been so long. "I was second in command on my X-men team in school, too. I'm used to working under competent women."

"Which you totally didn't mean to sound sexual," she teases.

David laughs. "It's accurate in that case."

"Oh, so you can be a successful bisexual. Bisuccessful, if you will."

The badness of the joke softens the poke at his infatuation with Teddy. It doesn't sting as much as he thought it would. He's finally moving on. "I most certainly won't, that's terrible."

"I blame Ohio. Something in the air made me do it." They both know it's Clint's influence. Pitch lowering, she adds. "I like Billy and Teddy, I've known them for years and I talk to them about all kinds of stuff. But sometimes they're a little—a little Saturday morning cartoon, you know? Where everything is rainbows and problems are solved in 30 minutes or less. They always want to be involved instead of step back."

He make a noise of agreement. "Sometimes you need criticism, advice, and distance instead of support."

"Exactly. I mean they're great but sometimes they make me feel old." She hurries to add, "Not that I'm old, I'm only twenty-one. Twenty-one isn't old at all."

"Says the woman having a quarter life crisis in a field."

"Am not!" she says in the exact way a five-year-old uses to refute people. "Anyway I need me-time, _real_ me-time without anyone else bailing me out or telling me what to do or convincing me this is a terrible idea. If I talk to them now I'll turn right back around and be the same Kate I've always been. For LA to really be helpful I need—"

"You want me to call them and convince them to leave you be for awhile."

"Would you?" Somewhere in her voice she's asking more than this favor; she wants somebody to confirm this is a good idea.

"Sure." He gets up and walks to the kitchen to make himself some tea. "It's good to be on a team again."

"Your terrible decisions mean I remain the awesomest. Good to have you." After a beat, she adds, "It's nice to have somebody to rely on. I mean we're a seat-of-our pants team and that usually works out fine but it's good to have options. Even if we mostly ignore you."

"I do what I can." He remembers the moment on Noh-Varr's ship when Kate had come to him to talk strategy for their last battle and he'd been so wrapped up in executing his plan he'd brushed her off. It's retroactively cringe-inducing at what a jerk move that'd been. "I'll be better at sharing and you'll be better at listening?"

"We'll see," she says in a tone that means yes.

He keeps her company for half an hour, talking about nothing, until her phone starts to run low on battery. She hangs up with promises to text him later. Before he starts contacting the team he basks in the warmth of having people who rely on him, people who don't have the complicated history of his lost identity. He's been part of the team for over half a year but this is the first time it feels like belonging.

***

"Stay inside!" Tommy shouts what must be the tenth time as somebody pokes their head out a porch door to look at the commotion. Luckily this one obeys the command. Ugh, suburbanites have no survival instincts.

To be fair, Charlotte isn't used to dealing with supervillainous attacks. The police are still scrambling, the people are staring instead of running, and Tommy is having a hell of a time dealing with this science experiment or prank or whatever gone wrong. Tommy would've asked the asshole responsible if they hadn't been reduced to bloody rags and a shoe he discovered when he found the overturned semi that started the whole mess.

Tommy makes another couple laps of the angry, squealing super-pigs, pushing them further into the residential areas away from downtown. There's maybe 200 of them. Tommy doesn't know much about pigs but he knows waist-high albino pigs with giant tusks and a voracious appetite for meat aren't normal.

The herd crowds the narrow suburban streets and spills into the manicured green lawns. Tommy does what he can to keep them in a stretched out oval, glad there doesn't seem to be much street parking in the area and that it's is extremely flat. He gets a perverse sense of glee seeing tree-lined roads and tidy little houses with their screened-in porches and flower beds marred by a science experiment gone amok.

Tommy barely hears the beep of his text alert over the angry squealing. He dodges tusks, gives a crazed pig making a break for it a punch, and gets his phone out. It's yet another text from Billy. Shit, Tommy knew Billy can be oblivious but it's month four, how has he still not got the picture that Tommy isn't in the mood for playing siblings?

→Want to go on patrol sometime?

There's a blast from the past. Not that they ever did it much, since most of their time together had been marred by Billy's depressive funk, but there had been a brief period where Tommy saw why having a brother could be a good thing. When they weren't arguing, anyway.

As nice as it is to see Billy back in the game Tommy enjoys his solo act. No waiting, no coordinating, a wide open world that's all his. And he still doesn't know what happened while he was gone. He fires off a response.

←nah. ur too slow :P

Tommy dodges, kicks off the head of another pig to keep them focused on him and not breaking away to attack bystanders. He glances at a street sign and laughs, stopping a split second to take a picture of Poindexter Drive. He sends the picture to Billy as he runs over the roiling backs of the herd to confuse them.

←found your street

→OMG are you in Charlotte? The superpigs aren't an April Fools joke?

Of course Billy's heard already. He's such a nerd.

→Do you need help?

Before he can reply a pig on the right side breaks off to go for some startled soccer mom exiting her van. Tommy doesn't pull his punch, ignoring the queasy feeling in his stomach when he feels hard bone go soft. It goes down, tripping up the ones behind it. Tommy grabs the woman and deposits her on a nearby roof as a feeding frenzy breaks out.

It's a horror show like Tommy hasn't seen since juvie. The sounds, the smells make it hard to breathe. It's better if Billy doesn't come. He'd hardly be useful if all he did was puke. Tommy will get these piggies all the way home until he has room to deal with them. Once they're done eating he urges them further south in hopes there's no highway in that direction.

Maybe it's a little nice, Billy wanting to help. When he isn't being annoying about it. Billy cares about _everything_ ; he can't even handle when people say mean things about him online. Tommy has no idea how he isn't exhausted from feeling all the time.

Tommy's phone buzzes. He looks down to check it.

A scream forces his attention back. The herd broke off down two different roads at the intersection because there are people down both roads. Shit, he wasn't in front like he should've been.

Tommy lurches more than runs to catch the nearest group. It takes him two tries to take down the front runner. Tommy leaves the remainder to swarm over the fallen pig once he's sure none of them are chasing the family of four booking it down the driveway. That section distracted he heads back to the other group rapidly approaching a group of old women standing in the middle of the street.

"Run!" Like that'll do any good with old ladies. _Too slow, too slow._

One of the pigs takes the lead, faster than the others. The old ladies aren't running away.

He won't make it in time. _No no no no_ —

Something flashes silver in the sunlight.

Gunshot. Another. The lead granny, a squat woman who looks like a gnarled tree stump, has a shotgun. The pig squeals in anger but keeps coming. One of the other grannies hands her a new gun and she squeezes off another shot. The pig stumbles and changes direction. One of them shouts when she sees him, "There's a school down this road. Get these hogs outta here."

"Yes ma'am," he says with quick salute, pushing at the injured pig to get it back with the others.

The herd converges back into one to chase after the injured pig. Tommy redirects them down another side street. He hears police sirens in the background. As useful as more firepower would be Tommy has enough pigs to deal with already. When the injured pig falls he's able to check for stragglers. They all seem to be there but their blood is up now and they're way more aggressive. The left side breaks away in a gap between houses instead of following the others straight.

A flash of blue light—Billy appears in front of the lead pig on the left, way too low.

"Up! Move up! They're vicious!" Tommy shouts.

Billy obeys, barely getting out of the way in time. He shouts something, blue light curving around the pigs to force them back into the main herd.

"I don't think this is kosher!" Tommy says, trying to remember what exactly the rules are for being kosher. Something about pigs and shrimp and special butchers? The Kaplans tried to explain Jewish stuff a couple times but Tommy tuned it out the same way he'd tuned out his dad's rants about why God hates this group or that; it's one more reason he doesn't fit in.

Tommy gets his brain back in snail time because Billy is saying something.

"There's a park up ahead!"

"Hey, a cookout! Want to make some bacon?"

Billy looks horrified. "No!" Ugh, he has no sense of humor.

Tommy herds the pigs down the street and into the soccer fields that make up the park, annoyance rising. "What do you think was gonna happen to them before? They were always gonna die." Tommy punches one but it's not enough to bring it down. Probably a good thing—Billy would lose his lunch. "I can't keep this up forever."

Billy looks queasy at the prospect of further violence. He magics up a blue barrier. "There has to be something. Maybe David—"

"Even if he can genius his way into fixing them nobody wants to take care of formerly freak pigs. Do you think the owner will take that loss and keep them around because you want him to? Come on, they're just pigs."

"How can you say that?" Billy shouts, angry now. "It's not their fault they were experimented on and turned into this. There must be a way."

Tommy hates that the bleeding heart talk strikes a nerve. Billy never gets that perfect solutions don't always happen. Life isn't fair. But if he wants to try for it, well, Tommy won't stop him. "So come up with something!"

People are coming out now that the situation seems contained, gawkers cheering on the heroes like they're out of danger. Billy's focus is turned inward so he doesn't see the pigs run at some country boy too close to the herd. Tommy diverts to grab him, scooping him up with too much speed and too little finesse.

"Thanks," the idiot says with a soft country twang. His eyes are hazel and wide, his face flushed as he clings to Tommy. "Real grateful."

Tommy's stomach twists. "My brother's the gay one. And he's dating somebody who's way less of an idiot than you." Tommy dumps him on top of a car and goes back to the pig problem. Billy's got most of them encased in the corral now. With Tommy's help he gets them all contained into an angry, squealing mess. Billy makes the walls higher and the pigs strain to find a way out.

"What now? Start a barbeque?"

"Tommy! Can you put away the need to hurt animals for a minute?" Billy's disapproving frown is very different when underlit by a blue glow. It's easy to believe some evil interdimensional thing was after him when he looks like that.

Tommy lets the anger seep into his voice, "What else am I gonna do? Not everybody gets to warp reality to their whims. What's _your_ brilliant plan?"

Billy turns to the pigs, jaw set. He says something too quiet for Tommy to hear and the blue blazes brighter.

Tommy has to cover his eyes from the glare. The magic sizzles in the air like lightning. "What are you doing?" His heart pounds fast, useless because there's nothing he can do to stop Billy.

The glow brightens to blinding, his ears ring like there was a silent thunderclap, his teeth ache, and several of the bystanders scream.

When the glow subsides the blue barrier is still there, but instead of pigs there are 200—

"Dodos?" Tommy's jaw goes slack. If he couldn't hear them, smell them, he'd think he was dreaming. "Are those seriously _dodos_? Did you just deextinct a species?"

"Um, I guess?" Billy looks sheepish, one hand on the back of his neck. "I couldn't think of anything else to keep them alive, and I just—" He waves at the birds. "April fools?"

A whim and a burst of power and Billy changed scientific history like it was nothing. Is there any limit to what he can do? Can he warp minds as well? Tommy's stomach surges to a roil. He says, faint, "You should call David."

"What? But you said—" Billy turns to look at Tommy, still faintly glowing blue. He doesn't seem to even register he's still floating.

"His job is dealing with weird stuff. This qualifies. He'll know what should be done with them," Tommy gestures at the dodos. Fucking _dodos_. They're bigger than he expected, maybe three feet tall and ugly as fuck. If David sees them it definitely means this is real. "He's got enough scientific background and probably knows what country they should go to. Or knows who to call to deal with it." Where are dodos from, anyway?

"Right," Billy says as he ducks his head. He hadn't thought about any of the complications at all, of course. He checks his phone. "America will be here any minute. I think we'll need her help."

A crowd has started to gather, surprised murmurs rising. Faces are upturned at Billy in awe. He looks every part the hero with his shining stars and flowing cape. Tommy might as well be invisible. The sirens are closer. Time to get the hell out of dodge. "I'll leave the cleanup to you. Later!"

Tommy waves and rushes away trying hard to ignore how uneasy he feels. Everyone will hear about this. Billy, the magic boy with the power to do anything. Nobody will remember the guy who got the pigs in control in the first place, they'll remember the dodos. A flash of magic and a half-baked idea changed the world.

***

David thought Tommy teaming up with Billy would be the watershed for the brothers to mend their relationship. Instead, Tommy's been showing up at David's place with increasing frequency. He never announces when he's coming or going and David never asks, which works for both of them since David doesn't want to pry and Tommy doesn't want to act like it's a big deal. He'll open up about what's going on eventually. Tommy begins a slow invasion like the warmer weather is a signal David's apartment is now a free-for-all. The bathroom is first: toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, and white hairs that get everywhere.

"Do you have a razor I can borrow?" Tommy asks on his third consecutive day of crashing on the couch as David inspects himself in the mirror above the sink.

"I can't use razors or I'll get ingrown hair on my face. I've got depilatory cream if you want to try it." David gestures at the jar on the shelf with his comb.

"Hell no." Tommy walks forward to eye his pale stubble. It's is a nice kind of new to see him rumpled and unguarded in the morning. "I'll get it later when I shower." He yawns. "Putting on coffee. Wake me when it's done."

David finishes up his morning ablutions and starts on a quick breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs. The smell of food and coffee gets Tommy out of bed. They barely talk as they eat but it's companionable nonetheless. David offers Tommy a container of leftovers for lunch and he leaves with a smile and a "Thanks!"

After that it's a rapid spiral of infection. By the end of April David has to acknowledge that living on his own has proved to be less on his own than anticipated. Tommy's clothes appear in piles in the living room, Old Spice body wash and deodorant in the bathroom, junk food in the kitchen David knows he didn't buy. As much as he wants to be annoyed, Tommy made it clear from the beginning his friendships move fast—David is willing to accept intensity over the alternatives. It's nice to have somebody around to distract him from the frustration of work since two people quitting in short succession means he's on desk duty.

Tommy takes to surprising David when he's exercising, throwing pillows or trying to poke him or whatever other annoyance he can think up.

"Very helpful," David says ten days into their cohabitation as he deflects a wad of paper while bending down to touch his toes. He has to deflect two more before he's done stretching.

"I'm here to make sure your ass is covered." Tommy's out the door before David can reply.

Tommy's always been flirtatious—with women it's an invitation, with men it's a way to make them uncomfortable and give Tommy the edge. He does it so easily and frequently it's not a conscious decision. As Tommy's presence becomes something easy and familiar it's hard to remember to keep his feelings in check. David reminds himself repeatedly that it doesn't mean anything; Tommy's rejection of the accidental kiss was clear.

Despite all the time together they don't do much crime-fighting as a duo. When Tommy is itching for action David slows him down too much, so David sticks to the team and Tommy stays solo. Tommy only joins the team once to take down a Hydra cell and leaves as soon as the fighting's done. The others shake their heads but don't seem surprised. America quirks a questioning eyebrow and David gives a wry smile and holds up his hands in response. It's not his place to interfere. The look she gives him makes it clear she doesn't agree.

The silent recrimination lingers in the back of his head. It's been over four months since Tommy came back and things are still tense. He should be making a plan for dealing with the gossip firestorm he created when he shut down a coworker yesterday for his homophobic jokes. (No regrets but makes for a difficult work environment.) Instead he turns over the puzzle of Tommy's fraught relationships with the team in the shower. Neither are resolved by the time he's done.

David hears the now-familiar taps of Tommy's footsteps as he exits the bathroom. He tucks the towel around his waist, leaning out the door. "Tommy?"

"I bring cake," he says as he rounds the corner, waving a hand back at the kitchen. "Well hey there, David and David's nipples."

"I didn't think you'd be back today." He'd assumed Tommy would want to spend today with somebody else. He can feel Tommy's eyes on him as he pushes off the doorframe and steps out of the bathroom. They've already seen each other in states of undress but that's always been with actual clothing, not something as flimsy as a towel. Tommy doesn't realize he's staring—he'd look away if he did—but it's nice all the same. David opts not to change. "Happy birthday."

Tommy's expression shuts down. "Whatever, I don't do birthdays. The only thing that matters is I'm no longer obligated to put up with anyone's bullshit." The last part comes out harsh, the container setting down hard on the counter. He gathers himself, voice light with humor when he speaks again. "Fuck yeah, adulthood. Do we have ice cream?"

 _We._ David can't help but smile at that. He follows Tommy to the kitchen, the linoleum cold on his bare feet. "Are you planning on buying some?"

"What kind of person has an entire fridge to himself doesn't have ice cream?" With that Tommy's back out the door.

David takes a look at the cake. It's homemade in a glass dish with a plastic lid for transport. The air fills with the smell of chocolate and sugar as soon as he opens it. He moves to grab a couple plates and sees new cups have appeared. He looks over the counter at the living room; the piles of Tommy's things are noticeably larger. Not that Tommy has much in the way of possessions to begin with. He's finally moved in all the way.

Tommy reappears with a plastic bag swinging from his wrist. "At least you aren't so boring you say cake can only come after dinner."

"Is that why you stole the cake the Kaplans made you? To eat it faster?" He remains still to let Tommy dash around the kitchen without breaking anything or risking dislodging his towel, curious how honest Tommy will be.

Tommy emerges from the blur of speed with a loaded plate, an empty plate and spoon laid out for David. He grins around his spoonful of cake and ice cream. "They were taking way too long about everything. I don't need whatever lame-ass presents they'll force on me, so I bolted." He licks the chocolate off the spoon. "And it's Billy's cake, not mine."

David gives himself a significantly smaller portion. He gestures at Tommy's plate with his spoon. "You like chocolate cake."

"Yeah, but I like other cake more." Tommy eats a huge bite, talking with his mouth full. "Chocolate is Billy's favorite."

David pushes a little. "Didn't they ask you what kind you wanted?"

"Sure they did, my first birthday with them. But all I'd had was that rainbow box mix kind and grocery store cake and they said I should have something better. Neither are acceptable by Kaplan standards."

Not the cake but the judgment that what he wants isn't good enough. Saying they mean well is useless—Tommy knows that. "Do you _want_ a Funfetti cake?"

The spoon stops partway to his mouth. "That's seriously what it's called?"

"Yeah."

"Huh." He takes a huge bite of the last of his cake, "Maybe not, I haven't had it in ages. My mom made me one once, when I was six, maybe? I know it's not a great cake or anything but it beat out the couple times I got a slice of marked down cake from the bakery. That was like eating stale sugar paste. If I hadn't been so hungry I never would've eaten it."

 _Once. A couple. Hungry._ The pieces David has of Tommy's childhood paint a grim picture. Does anyone else on the team know how bad it was? David wants to say no but it's arrogant to assume. "You admitting too much sugar in something? I'm surprised."

Tommy cuts himself another huge slice. "I didn't have a lot of chances to eat sweet stuff so it was sometimes too much at once. My dad would blow up if anyone touched his food and he loved sugar. Once he left my mom never bought desserts 'cause she hates them unless it's on TV. She watched a lot of Cake Boss for some reason."

Illuminating details but pernicious parents are hardly a birthday-worthy conversation. He shouldn't let his curiosity get the better of him. This is as good a time as ever for a distraction. "I've got something for you." He sets his cake down and walks to the bedroom.

Tommy trails after him, cake forgotten in his curiosity. "It better not be a present."

"Not exactly." David fishes the spare keys out of his desk drawer and tosses them over to Tommy at full speed. Tommy snatches them out of the air and holds them up for inspection. "I don't need these."

"Mrs Kochar agrees you should only phase through walls in emergencies. We're trying to keep up some attempt at subtlety."

Tommy looks up at David, eyes wide. Times like this David wishes Tommy's micro-expressions weren't too fast for his eyes too see. He might have fucked this up and he can't tell.

David barrels ahead. If this was the wrong move he'll know soon enough. "The linen closet barely has anything in it, it's yours. I'd like my living room floor back."

Tommy pockets the keys, walking back toward the kitchen. "I'm not moving in."

It's hard not to shoot back _clearly you already have_. David follows him. "Didn't say you were. It's convenience only. I'm not asking you to sign the lease; Mrs Kochar thought it'd be easier with another set of keys and I agreed with her. That's it."

Tommy relaxes. "So does this mean I get free range of your stuff?"

"Sure." Easy to grant since Tommy's already gotten into everything. "Make your own Netflix profile and stop screwing with my ratings."

"The word you're looking for is _improving_." Tommy grins, stealing the remainder of David's cake because it's closer than his piece.

"I was going to finish that." There's no weight behind the protest.

"Hey, if I'm going to see this," Tommy waves at David's still shirtless torso. "All the time? I'm invested in keeping you trim."

"I do that fine on my own, thanks." David reaches for the ice cream just to spite him. "Don't even think about it," he says as Tommy considers stealing the towel.

"Sometimes it's scary how you do that, with your brain."

Ice cream obtained without incident, he turns to look at Tommy. "Hardly. You're very predictable."

Tommy mock-gasps in offense. "How dare you! I can't live with you anymore."

"I thought you weren't living with me at all?"

Tommy shoves his shoulder playfully. His palm is warm on David's skin. They laugh, and David feels a tight joy in his chest. He knows he should take that as a warning and back off but it feels good. It feels _right_. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to fall for Tommy.

***

By unspoken agreement David and Tommy don't mention the new living arrangements to the team. Since both of them go out to meet people instead of inviting them to the apartment, it works. Tommy still vanishes many nights. He never says where he goes and David never asks—abandoned buildings, from the smell of dust and mildew on his clothes. David is caught between sadness at Tommy's inability to feel safe anywhere and honored that he's willing to stay with David as much as he does. Sometimes all he sees of Tommy are the signs he's been and gone in shifted towels and vanished food, or a pot of coffee left on for him in the morning. They don't usually conflict over the bathroom—David showers in the mornings and Tommy showers at night, and Tommy is out late so often they rarely brush teeth at the same time.

Typical evenings involve Tommy popping out of nowhere to comment on what David's doing.

"Seriously, is all you do read boring shit?" Tommy flops down on the couch beside David. After a month of cohabitation David's become used to the constant criticism; Tommy doesn't mean anything by it.

"My knowledge will become obsolete if I don't supplement it with new material. I have a lot of subjects to keep up." Not that he thinks he'll ever have need for the tsetse fly genome but it's better to know than not.

"Nerd," Tommy says almost affectionately. "Come on, watch something with me. None of that pretentious art film shit, something fun."

David usually relents. He'll try to watch and read at the same time but Tommy will pester him just enough he ends up giving it his full attention anyway so he can argue a point. It should be annoying but it provides a good mental break. He's needed those more as of late.

David spends the next day wanting to scream in frustration as yet _another_ person quits and David is yet _again_ given their workload. He's barely made it into the field the whole month because of the mountains of paperwork now under his domain. The more time he spends in the office the more he finds his coworkers irritating. As he rides the subway home he develops plans to corner Chad and get the situation resolved. No amount of placating "But you're so efficient!" will suffice. He's on plan 4A when a text alert interrupts his podcast. As he fishes his phone out of his pocket and unlocks the screen, two more alerts go off.

They're from Kate.

→So

→so what if hypotheticallu speaking you saw a rising out of a pool moment hapen in real life w the water streamin down as and everything juat like a movie and the person is srsly hot

→movie star hot

It vibrates in his hand as another message appears. He knows his response will be overtaken by multiple messages but starts typing anyway.

→and later it turns out THE PERSON IS EVIL SUPER EBIL and wants to kill you

→epic revenge quest level here

→also she's way older like over 30

→what do

→hypothetically

→NOT SHE GENDER NEYRAL NERTAL

→DUCK THIS TINY PHONE

→NEUTRAL

←Am I now the expert on turning down morally ambiguous people?

→duh u resisted Loki

←Loki looked 12 most of the time I'd known him. Not hard to resist.

→Yeah but you know he's really a bajillion years old he's ass guardian

→asgardian

←Not my type.

He suppresses the fizzle of annoyance knowing that a comment about Teddy will come if he doesn't head it off. He's almost at his stop. Time to say something potent and get her to call like she clearly wants to.

←Does it bother you that you're attracted to women at all or that you're attracted to women who intimidate you?

His phone buzzes furiously as he stands and leaves the train and exits the station. He takes a moment to look at her texts as his phone starts ringing.

→WHAT

→NO

→DAVID

→ok maybe yes

→maybe

→but what if it I was?

→hypothetically

"Bisexual crisis line, David speaking." He says in almost the same voice he used at the call center—almost, because he can't help the teasing tone that creeps in.

"You're the worst," she greets. "Everything is terrible and I should hang up and seek the wisdom of my Cool LA Honorary Gay Uncles because they aren't jerkfaces like you." Kate doesn't hang up.

He smiles. While they've texted plenty it's not the same as hearing her. "Sounds like you've been busy."

"Finding myself sucks. This isn't how it was supposed to be."

It's strange how hearing somebody bellyache on the phone fills him with warmth, knowing he has a friend who's comfortable doing that. "Quests to find yourself tend to turn out like that. Are you giving up?"

"Fuck no." The whining is instantly gone, replaced with conviction. "I've got shit to do."

He chuckles as he heads up the station stairs. "You wanted to complain about it first?"

She sighs. "Yeah, a little. And seriously, the whole attraction thing came out of nowhere and isn't helping at all. How do you deal with it?"

His pace slows, his usual speed-walk home turning into something more leisurely. "Being attracted to people?"

"Ugh, no. Yes? You know what I mean." He can see the way she'd flap her hand like the gesture could encompass the ambiguity of it all.

A car horn blares, delaying his response a few seconds. It gives him a moment to enjoy the faith Kate has in his mental abilities. "Realizing I was bi made my life make more sense. It made things easier. That isn't what it's like for you. It's too much of a shock to accept right away. But maybe it'll be easier knowing that the only thing that's changed is you're aware of being attracted to women. It happened before without you noticing. Now you notice. Acting on it is another matter entirely. That can wait. Take some time getting used it; that's all you need to do."

"Listen to you, being all sensible." He can hear her smile. "You're way better at the advice thing than Clint ever was."

He laughs, remembering her vociferous complaints. "That's a low bar."

"True." There's a pause where he's sure she's biting her lip before she speaks. She shifts positions, denim scraping softly as she moves her legs. "Intimidating women?"

"Mm-hmm. And patriotism." He doesn't usually give people a hard time for fun. Tommy might be rubbing off on him.

" _David_. Ew." Fake retching noises fill the phone. "I don't have a patriotism fetish!"

"Didn't say it was a fetish. Merely pattern recognition." Persiflage does have its benefits—keeping her laughing and distracted makes the hard parts easier to handle. It would've been nice if somebody had done that for him back when he was figuring things out even if he didn't need it. He knows he could've told his old team and nobody would've had an issue with it—there were other queer people on the team—but he never could do it. Who knows how long he would've kept quiet about it if he hadn't made a split second stupid decision.

"What pattern? There is no pattern. You've never even met the real Eli!" Her voice is high with emotion.

"Don't have to to know enough to see a pattern." He decides to be kind and not bring up the times she's commented on the hotness of Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes. "Hottest Hero" had been one of the occasional downtime distractions they'd done while traveling. It'd been nice to debate something frivolous and insightful enough to keep his attention, though occasionally the debate would get heated because Loki loved to incite arguments between Billy and Teddy. "You like passion and patriotism fits."

"America is—" Kate cuts off suddenly, like she caught the lie she was about to say and was startled by it. "Really hot," she finishes lamely. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything." He'd been too busy holding in his laughter. She's flailing but part of her had already accepted what's going on. This is a call to confirm what she's been thinking not an immediate reaction to recent events.

"You didn't need to. Doesn't take a mutant genius to figure that out."

"Ex-mutant," he corrects. "So what now? You've admitted it out loud, that's something."

"A useless something." She flops onto something soft—a couch, by the sound of it—with a long sigh.

"Not useless. Progress. Baby steps, Kate."

She sighs again. "How do you deal with it?"

Her crush on America is hardly unrequited but now's not the time to bring that up. She's still thinking general over specific. "I let it pass. Most of the time, anyway. I've got enough on my plate without adding relationship complications. Crushes fade." Too bad he didn't stick to that; he could've skipped the drama. But he'd been able to come out because of it. It's not a great upside but he'll take it over nothing. His feelings for Teddy are a mess but a fainter, more manageable mess now.

"That's sad. You sound like a sad old man. Clint has made me an expert on those so I know what I'm talking about."

"You saw how well it went last time." He means Teddy but the image of Tommy running scared in the warehouse flashes through his mind in all its disturbing detail. The way it makes his chest tight forces the underlying truth to the forefront—he might be over Teddy but he's got a new crush well underway.

She scoffs. "So what, you're gonna be a sexless hermit pining after people? Geez. Don't force yourself to be something you're not. Everyone's forgiven you, David. Stop beating yourself up over it."

His chest squeezes tighter. "Kate—"

"You're not the only one who can dish out advice. I'm super wise from being the one in charge of the team. Sage words from Mama Kate: it's only a matter of time til you bump uglies with somebody on the team. Embrace it."

Like any of them would want to after Teddy. And outside of Kate the others wouldn't be interested, Tommy's joke-flirting aside. Unless they get new members his chances are slim. "You're sure of that?"

"As the person who's swapped spit with the most team members, I'm the authority. Hell, if you weren't on a commitment-and-guys phase and I wasn't on a short-shorts and great tits phase maybe we would've done the deed already."

Kate reminds him enough of Noriko that he knows she's right. In some other circumstance maybe they would've been something. As it is, she's a good friend to have. "It wouldn't have ended well."

"Yeah, you're way too much of a sap. I mean, you liked _Teddy_. He's the apple pie of guys. No, the Valentine's day card of guys."

"Are you, former dater of Noh-Varr, criticizing my choice of men?" There's a pause—still not entirely over the breakup, then. He should hold off on further teasing.

"So maybe we're both shallow and want abs and biceps and big dicks, whatever. I'm saying next time you fall for somebody who isn't the most taken guy ever you should go for it. Use some of that sexy knowledge you've got in there, have some fun. It's a total waste otherwise."

David wonders if she'd say the same thing knowing who he's interested in now. "I don't have any control over who I fall for."

"You just said you do. See, _this_ is why I don't do any of that romance stuff." She sighs. "All I'm saying is next time you have a chance, don't be boring and let it dry up. Come on, don't be afraid to get wet."

"Same goes for you." He forces his tone lighter than he feels, but it's a start. "With all those pools around you."

"Okay, for our Easter or vernal equinox or whatever resolution—we should both have lots of sex this year."

"I'll see what I can do." If Tommy is open to the idea of being with him more than harmless flirting, he should go for it. She's right that he'll never get anywhere without trying.

***

Living with Tommy is surprisingly easy once they work the bumps out. By mid-May they mostly have the hang of it. With a little prodding Tommy will help around the house, cleaning and picking up after himself. He puts enough coffee on for both of them when he's there and David returns the favor by making breakfast for two. Tommy's things are less obtrusive than he is, keeping to the linen closet. He sleeps on the fold-out couch though he doesn't always bother unfolding it. David rarely catches him sleeping and when he does, Tommy wakes up as soon as he's in the room. No wonder he hated sharing with Billy—with survival instincts that keen it must've been impossible for him to get any sleep.

Tommy buys groceries without asking for compensation. David doesn't bring it up because it's repaying the money he spent on Tommy's apartment and rent. It evens out since David does most of the cooking. He texts lists when he needs specific ingredients and they'll be there when he gets home from work. Tommy's ability to go anywhere for groceries makes for a hodgepodge of packaging and a lot of variety. Goetta and Cheerwine sit next to each other in the fridge, kanikko and Schladerer chocolate in the pantry. Sometimes David can get Tommy to help cook. Tommy knows the basics but has no patience for the process.

David looks over the current haul, bearing three languages on the packaging. "You must make customs cry."

Tommy grins. "Like they can catch me. When I first moved out I got most of my fast cash from nerds who wanted stuff in other countries. I'd charge half of what normal delivery would cost them and the longest part would be finding the thing they wanted me to buy. Nerds are too excited about whatever it is they're getting to skimp on payment. There's always a few who are pissy they missed the window when I shut down but it's not like they can do anything but say shit on the internet."

"Unless one of them becomes a tax auditor." David puts the milk and beer in the fridge. He doesn't mind that Tommy drinks as he never does it to excess and gets beer David enjoys as well. König Ludwig Dunkel sits next to Unibroue La Fin du Monde and David can't complain about that.

"Ugh, don't start about taxes again." Tommy had neglected to file last year despite being an emancipated teen earning income and David hasn't let it go for the past two days. "You love taxes so much, you do them."

"Sure." Now that Tommy's an adult he'll need to file and David would rather fill out some paperwork than have a teammate get in trouble over technicalities. Maybe the Avengers would step in but David knows better than to rely on somebody else for a bail-out. He should make the offer for the whole team, at least help them out if they need it.

Tommy blinks, his eyes bluer today with his blue shirt. "Wait, seriously?"

"If you pay me," David adds to assuage Tommy's wariness of favors.

Tommy makes a dismissive noise. He then leans over to put lentils in the cabinet behind David, half his front pressing into David's chest and his face very, very close. "Pay you how?"

This close he can count Tommy's eyelashes. They're long and silver-white and he can almost feel them brushing his skin. It's not that they haven't touched or that Tommy hasn't been steadily increasing the flirtatious comments, but doing both at once is new. Before David has a chance to react Tommy is pulling back, grinning.

David puts his hand on Tommy's wrist, keeping his hold light, his skin soaking in heat more than exerting pressure. It brings both of them to a halt. David's never responded physically before. Tommy stills and David knows this is what it's like for him all the time, moments drawn out into ages. Reaching for words and escaping Tommy's stillness is a monumental effort. In the process he loses his question about what Tommy intended and says instead, "Try preparing a meal more complicated than a sandwich."

The bubble breaks. Time goes back to normal and the bony wrist falls away from David's fingers. "But you make such a great housewife. You wear an apron and everything!"

"Excuse me for not wanting stains on my clothes." David puts away the orange juice, eggs, and switches the nearly used up stick of butter for a new pack, setting the old on the counter for when he starts cooking. "Knowing how to cook is useful."

"But why bother when you'll do it for me and you're better at it?" Tommy makes short work of the rest of the groceries now that he's no longer fooling around.

The best tactic when Tommy is being purposefully annoying and obtuse isn't arguing—that's part of his fun. David stares with one eyebrow arched in judgmental silence as he puts on his apron.

Tommy cracks after a few seconds. "Ugh, what do you want me to do?" Somewhere under the annoyance David detects real interest. Tommy's the kind of person who'd refuse the help of the Kaplans on principal but can accept a friend bestowing the same knowledge as it doesn't have the perceived threat.

"You bought whole shrimp. They'll need to be deveined and shelled." Before Tommy can protest he adds. "Do you feel like eating what's in a shrimp's digestive system?"

"Yeah, yeah." Tommy is a quick learner and has the process down after the first few. He doesn't speed up much when cooking—the skills aren't ingrained enough to mitigate potential accidents. David chops vegetables and minces garlic with the ease his collected knowledge has granted him. When Tommy is finished and turning the faucet on with his elbow David reaches over and squirts soap into his waiting palm, an easy coordination of mutual space.

Once his hands are clean he doesn't leave the kitchen but leans against the counter and follows every moment with keen eyes.

David turns to ask if he wants explanations but Tommy's already shaking his head.

"I don't need a live Food Network or anything. That shit's boring. My mom used to watch that kind of lameass TV all the time. What's the point in watching people cook fancy shit when you never bother to do anything but heat up TV dinners for yourself?"

David quells the urge to pry as he melts the butter in the pan. If he asks, Tommy will clam up. Better to let him say things on his own terms. "Admiring what you don't have is common enough or celebrity gossip wouldn't sell."

"Yeah, I guess."

They fall into comfortable silence—a rare thing in Tommy's presence. Without the distraction of words David can see the loose relaxation of his posture, and way his leg jiggles to a beat for whatever pop song is stuck in his head. If there's ever a time to try asking now would be it.

David swallows his apprehension. "Your metabolism changed first, didn't it?" He keeps his gaze fixed to the pan.

There's a pause long enough to mean Tommy turned over the question and figured out what he's really asking. "Yeah," Tommy's tone is light and quiet, the essence of casual. "It was weird. I went from being hungry all the time to barely needing anything to keep going. I didn't know what to make of it until the speed came. Here." He comes up next to David and offers the bowl of cleaned shrimp. David turns to take it from him, their gazes and hands meeting briefly.

David dumps the shrimp in the pan, thinking over Tommy's history and what he knows of mutant puberty. "Little things here and there for a couple years then it burst to full power in less than a month. Then you ended up in juvie."

"I see Billy filled you in. Gonna ask me if I blew up my school on purpose?" There's an edge to his voice though David can't say if it's because he did it and is raring up for a fight or didn't and is angry at the accusation. None of the others on the team have ever broached the subject but Tommy assumes they suspect him. He's not wrong. The team considers it an act forgiven and done instead of assuming his innocence.

"No." David pushes the shrimp around the pan, watching them turn pink. "Doesn't matter."

"What?" That wasn't the answer Tommy was expecting.

It's hard to resist a glance but if he looks that'll make the conversation too serious for Tommy. "You didn't deserve to be in jail either way. So it doesn't matter."

Tommy is silent, the sizzle of shrimp the only sound in the room.

"Pass me the broccoli?"

"Uh, yeah," Tommy says, again caught by surprise. He holds the cutting board over the pan as David scrapes the florets in. They lapse into silence aside from David asking Tommy to retrieve spices or put a pot of water on to boil. It doesn't take long to finish cooking and by that time the quiet is comfortable again. Tommy holds out plates to receive their servings—more shrimp for Tommy, more broccoli for David. To his surprise Tommy sets the plates down on the tiny kitchen table instead of taking them to trays by the couch. By the time the pan is in the sink to soak the table is set. David takes off the apron to eat.

"Wine glasses?" David has a set of assorted alcohol glasses that spend most of the time collecting dust on the top shelf. This might be the first time they've been out since he moved in.

"For the wine, duh," Tommy says as he holds out a green bottle. There's a sheen of condensation that means he must've bought it chilled with the groceries and stowed it somewhere until now. "I dunno if it's to your fancy standards but the guy said it should be good."

Tommy buying alcohol is one thing, but wine—which Tommy has repeatedly, loudly disparaged—bought after asking for help, that's different. It means something.

"Thanks." David is glad he picked a white and not a red. It's not an expensive wine but it's certainly one he had to go out of his way for. Once it's open, the smell is appealing. David pours some into his glass, then looks to Tommy. "I assume you want some since you have a glass?"

"I could want a fancy way to drink soda." Tommy shrugs. "Sometimes it's okay, with food or whatever." So David pours and sits down.

At a table they don't eat on, after cooking a meal together, with wine Tommy doesn't drink. _Is this a date?_ David eats a forkful of pasta, observing Tommy. His enthusiasm twirling pasta is higher than normal but it's not noticeably different. Perhaps he realizes his negative reaction to male attraction and is taking a circuitous route to avoid the mental panic. It'll be clear enough soon.

The wine smells pleasantly complex—apricot, anise, and slightly mineral. David would've guessed it's from Terlano even if it hadn't been on the bottle thanks to his acquired wine snobbery. The acidity cuts through the rich sauce without being overwhelming. It's a good choice even by his unusually picky standards.

Tommy crunches his broccoli. There are very few vegetables he willingly eats and David suspects a lot of it is lingering mulishness at the Kaplans trying to improve his diet than actual dislike. His primary objection is texture, not taste—crunchy is the only acceptable option.

"Are you going to stare or eat?" Tommy interrupts, eyes dangerously mischievous.

David twirls a load of pasta. "If you try to do 'here comes the airplane' again I won't be responsible for the bruises on your body and ego."

Tommy's laughter is bright and easy as he waggles a tempting bite of shrimp. "You sure?"

"Very. I have some on my plate as well." He gestures with his fork.

A blur of motion, and the shrimp he's been preparing to stab is gone.

Tommy is chewing, smug. His hand raises for a second strike but this time David is ready for him, deflecting with a sharp strike to Tommy's wrist. Their eyes lock, and it's on.

Strike-and-block, strike-and-block, their speed increasing with each round. David knows that speed will eventually win out but he'll go down fighting.

When the last shrimp remains shining and pink on his plate there's a mad scramble. David grabs it with his left hand, not caring that he's smearing butter over his palm as he bolts out of his chair.

Tommy's already there, grabbing David around the waist. David manages to slam his palm over his mouth and turn them so he's not pinned under Tommy as they hit the ground. Strong, thin fingers tug at his hand in their struggle but it's too late, David's already masticating. Tommy could've won if he were less careful. For all his playfulness Tommy is clearly aware of David's human frailties.

"I win." He's on the floor, his shirt coming untucked, his glasses somewhere near the wall, with alfredo sauce on his palm and Tommy fake-pouting in defeat. He laughs but it peters out into breathlessness. "That was the stupidest—"

He looks up at Tommy and his words fall away.

Tommy, smiling over him close enough David can smell the garlic on his breath. Tommy, whose hands are still on him, touching his ribs, their legs interlocked. Tommy, whose eyes are green now and dilated with interest. _This is a moment where you kiss._ He knows it, _feels_ it in every echo of his absorbed experience. He could pull away, disengage, laugh it off, but he remembers Kate's advice.

"Hell with it," David says at the same time Tommy says, "For fuck's sake—"

Their hands get in the way of each other as they reach to pull David up and Tommy down. Tommy makes an annoyed noise, gets around David's hands to grab him by the collar and kiss him.

It tastes like shrimp, and it's _hungry_ , and there's a bad joke in there if David cared but he's preoccupied. Tommy's lips aren't as chapped as they were on New Year's, soft and smooth in their give and take. His tongue teases but doesn't press in. Tommy pulls out of the kiss but stays close. David lies on the floor because it's familiar and solid and very close even though there's dozens of better things he could be doing. He needs a minute.

Tommy's lips are wet and pink and _right there_. He can't wait, so this time he pulls Tommy down to him.

The initial press is too hard but Tommy adjusts, easing it to insistent open mouths. David bites Tommy's lower lip, tugging it gently with his teeth before letting go, then does the same to his upper lip. It makes Tommy's long, silver eyelashes flutter closed for a second before he refocuses with the sharpness of knives, his hands moving to David's buttons as he kisses David's cheeks, jaw, pushing David's head up to scrape teeth on the underside of David's chin.

Tommy's hands run roughly over David's chest and stomach before returning up to make quick work of the rest of his buttons. A pleased noise escapes the back of his throat as he pushes the shirt open and takes in the sight of David's bare skin.

And David finally gets a good look at Tommy—his hair a pale mess, his lips bruised red, and his face full of a greedy, fierce delight. David reaches for Tommy and by the time his hands push into Tommy's hair Tommy isn't wearing a shirt. He spreads his fingers to cradle Tommy's skull. It's satisfying to know that whatever makes Tommy himself is between David's hands, like he can feel it buzzing under hair and skin and bone. They kiss again, Tommy's tongue insistent and exploratory, running over David's teeth. Neither of them tastes like shrimp anymore.

Agile hands press on David's clavicles, trace intercostal muscles and ribs before darting simultaneous pinches to both nipples. David jerks in surprise but his gasp is swallowed down, gentle fingers soothing and teasing his sensitized skin.

Suddenly he remembers that the rest of his body exists. Tommy is on top of him, hips on hips, the pleasant pressure ready to turn into friction, the floor solid at his back. He shifts his hands down to Tommy's back, pressing fingers into shoulderblades. Tommy takes it as a signal and rearranges his legs so he's straddling David at a much better angle. He feels Tommy hard against him.

Oh. _Oh_. David may be saying that out loud but he doesn't care, he plants his feet on the ground and pushes up into Tommy. Tommy leans down, grabbing David's head to cushion it from the floor and pushes back. The rhythm comes easily, Tommy breathing harsh into his ear as their clothed cocks rub against each other. David's nails are blunt but he still scrabbles at Tommy's back, pressing harder for that little bit of extra friction, that slow burn between them building into something that puts heat in David's veins.

"C'mon, c'mon," Tommy urges.

David can't form words so he kisses whatever parts of Tommy he can reach.

"C'mon." He rocks his pelvis into David harder. "So close."

They undulate together, the discomfort of denim between them adding to it, just frustrating enough to make David want more and more. He feels the tight tug of oncoming orgasm it's not enough, it's not—

Tommy's body jerks, a high-pitched whine escaping before he cuts it off. He keeps moving in jagged jerks as he comes.. David wishes they were skin to skin, wishes he'd seen instead of felt it, but Tommy is scraping his teeth up David's jaw and pressing his nails into David's scalp and chants "c'mon," and it's enough, it's finally enough.

" _Shit_." David feels his cock pulsing and tries to get his breathing back under control, limbs turned to limp, heavy noodles.

Tommy's draped over David clearly in the same state.

"I had sex on the floor," David says, feeling the truth in the shape of the words. "Oh god, I had sex on the floor."

"That hardly counts," Tommy says into David's shoulder, his breath a hot wash on David's skin.

"The state of my pants says otherwise." It feels disgusting and the floor is already uncomfortable, but the heaviness in his limbs and Tommy's weight on top of him is nice.

"I haven't even seen your dick and nobody put anything in anyone. Definitely not sex."

"The emphasis on penetrative sex is heterosexist—"

"Oh my god, stop." Tommy groans, covering David's mouth in a sloppy kiss to get him to stop talking. It's annoyingly effective. Tommy pushes himself up to rest on his elbows, mischief all over his face. "Can we agree that If I'm popping your cherry I'm doing it with _way_ more style than that?"

Lying on the floor has lost its charm. "I need to get the hell out of these clothes."

"I'll say," Tommy agrees as he raises his head enough to look David in the eye, running a thumb over his throat. An expression flickers on Tommy's face but he trails his fingers down to David's abs and smiles so there doesn't seem to be anything wrong.

David uses one hand to stop Tommy, the other to tilt his face into a brief kiss. "Seriously, I feel gross. Give me a minute? Then we can continue on an actual bed."

"Nah." Tommy pulls off and stands, making a disgusted face as he does—the wetness must be chafing. "I've done enough lazing around for the day." He looks to where David is still on the floor, eyes bright at seeing David disheveled and post-orgasmic. "Next time I'll see you naked."

He grabs his shirt and he's gone.

Just like that.

David forces aside his disappointment. He'd wanted—

No matter. Life isn't perfect. Tommy will be Tommy. He's hardly one for pillow talk or platitudes. Today was intimate on several levels and it was overwhelming for somebody as reluctant to act on homosexual attraction as Tommy. He said he'd be up for it again.

It's enough.

David keeps telling himself that as he showers, puts away the remains of their meal, washes the dishes, and cleans the kitchen. He doesn't think about alternate ways he could've handled the situation or how this could go wrong. He picks up his phone five times but doesn't text Tommy. Doesn't text Kate either. He opens a book and continually loses his place until he gives up and gets ready to sleep.

For the first time his bed feels empty.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Tartan and Dust for all their help. Thanks to everyone who left comments and kudos on the last chapter; whenever editing got rough those helped me pull through. The overwhelming positive response has been amazing and I hope everyone enjoys this part. Apologies for the long wait. Hopefully part 3 will prove less troublesome.
> 
> Spoilers for the Original Sins YA story. Trigger warnings for ugly verbal exchanges on several sensitive topics, including depression/suicide in YA comic canon, and fighting. If more details are needed just ask. Please note there are several new tags and the rating has gone up.

**_Happiness is just a glass away_ **  
**_I'm trouble_ **  
**_Breath me in like the summer nights_ **  
**_It's only a mistake if we don't survive_ **  
**_Kids grown up but we're not alright_ **  
**_We're trouble_ **

Tommy closes out of David's digital streaming collection again. After trying three shows and two movies he knows it's no use. _Shit_. Maybe he should leave and not come back until this blows over. A few weeks would do it. They could pick back up before they'd humped each other on the floor and forget the whole thing.

No, fuck that. It's convenient not having to cook or pay any bills or steal somebody else's wifi for once. David doesn't care that Tommy comes and goes as he pleases, doesn't interrogate him on where he's been. It's a perfect setup. So he kinda had sex with David on the floor, so what? It doesn't have to mean anything. He's not some love-struck idiot. He's messed around and banged guys out of convenience before. The only thing different is David is the first person Tommy's had sex with that he actually knows.

And the whole Teddy thing. _Shit_. Why did he let himself get dragged into team drama? This is way more serious than the Kate and Eli thing—Eli was easy to provoke so it hardly counts. Teddy means Billy and Billy makes a big deal out of _everything_. No way he's over whatever went down with David and Teddy.

Tommy may not know how it all links together but David being into Teddy means that he likes boring and sappy and that's enough to give Tommy chills. He needs to head that shit off now, make sure they're in this for the same reasons.

Fuck, this is why it's easier to have sex with strangers. How was he so fucking stupid?

_Slim hips with a dark grey towel slung low over them, the white flash of a smile, brown eyes unguarded by glasses._

Clearly David's hotness short circuited his brain. He'd noticed from the get-go David was attractive but over time it changed from a fact in the back of his head to a tug of want in his gut that annoyed him at every opportunity. Tommy turns off the TV and flops over on the couch with a groan. He looks at The Spot on the floor. He remembers the hard floor on his knees and the feel of David's skin under his hands. The memory of pressing against David's dick makes his blood hot in his veins. The sex was okay. Could've been better. _Way_ better if David unleashes the knowledge of the X-men in bed. Tommy is _so_ there; anybody would want that. They're both in a dry spell so it makes sense to help each other out. David is a genius, he probably knows all this already and Tommy's letting all the team bullshit get to his head. He'll know Tommy isn't anything like Teddy and doesn't want flowers and anniversaries and shit. Casual sex is great for rebounds so that's probably the whole reason he was into it. All Tommy has to do is make sure there's no five-year dating plan and they'll be fine.

Since he's feeling indulgent and horny, Tommy takes a shower, enjoying the hot water and imagining David's amazing bubble butt as he takes himself in hand. It'd be such a waste to not get a chance to see it without clothing in the way. David probably knows every time Tommy has masturbated in the shower because of the timing or something. That shouldn't be hot but it is, _fuck_ , it really is. If Tommy did it in David's bed, would he be more angry or more turned on? Maybe both. Yeah, both would be awesome. David gets focused when he's pissed.

There's a knock on the bathroom door. "I'm home," comes David's voice muffled through the wood.

Tommy's ethic of _fuck it_ has long served him well. He dries off in record time and is out of the shower with his dick still standing proud as he leans on David's bedroom doorway. He can feel the faint hum of the air on his exposed skin.

"So I was thinking," Tommy starts off to get David to turn in his direction. The shock on David's face is beautiful, the way his eyes go wide and his lips part just a little. His hands freeze where he's loosening his tie. The way he can't help but glance at Tommy's dick is even better. Tommy doesn't care about fancy clothes but David does look good in a suit, the way it's cut to show off his muscular frame. But it looks better now that David's started to take it off. Tommy decides one day he'll thoroughly ruin one of them. "I want to have sex again."

"I can see that," David says dry-as-dust like he's not turned on.

Tommy flexes a little so his dick bobs and David's eyes jump down to the movement before he forces them back up to a respectable level. Tommy's smiling so hard his face hurts. "I'd like to have a lot of sex with you. But I don't do feelings and I don't hold hands."

"You want to keep it casual." David shifts his posture, straightening his back and hardening his gaze as his hands fall away from his tie. He doesn't like the idea but he hasn't said no right away—Tommy can convince him.

"Exactly. No romantic bullshit, no drama, no homo, no talking about it." David looks annoyed at the no homo bit so Tommy tilts his hips a little further forward to distract him. "We keep going exactly as we have been; I go where I want and you do what you want. But instead of beating off in the shower I could have way more fun with you."

David doesn't move but Tommy sees how he's breathing a little faster. Tommy puts a hand on his hip and squeezes, anchoring himself before he gets carried away.

"One time offer. No confusion, no waffling. Easy." The more he talks about it the more he wants it. Finding somebody to have sex with is such a pain in the ass and this gets rid of all the complications.

David's eyes do another involuntary little dip. His face settles into disapproval at his own distraction, which is _hilarious_. "You could've asked with your clothes on."

"Where's the fun in that?" If David is bitching about stupid shit that means he wants to say yes but doesn't like that he wants to say yes. So close. "This way you know what you'd be getting. Or missing."

"Damn it, Tommy, could you give me _one minute_ to think clearly?" David looks put out by how turned on he is and Tommy laughs as he leaves the bedroom. Tommy feels weightless, triumphant that David wants Tommy so bad he can't think straight. There's no guesswork here—he knows David, knows how he'll react. He'll say yes. Sure there will be some logic as justification in an attempt to get his dignity back but the _yes_ is what matters. Is this how David feels all the time, _knowing_ everything? No wonder he's so confident.

Tommy sits on the couch, wondering what the best position would be to entice David or if he should unfold the hide-a-bed. No, fuck that. No need to pose. He's already won it's just a matter of David admitting it already. Tommy drums his fingers and hates every second of waiting. He curls a hand around his dick and toys with his foreskin just enough to keep it up as he thinks about David's hands.

"You're ridiculous," David says as he enters the living room. His tie and glasses are gone, the first couple buttons of his shirt undone. He looks naked but not in a sexy way. Not yet. This is something raw emerging from that careful exterior and it sends Tommy's pulse racing.

"It's one of my appeals." Tommy doesn't stop jerking off because David keeps looking at him and _fuck_ that feels awesome, working that big brain to distraction.

"No romance, no telling anyone. Any other ground rules?" David starts unbuttoning his shirt and Tommy is there to help in a heartbeat.

Tommy steps close enough his dick rubs on David's pants while his hands let David's shirt flutter to the floor. "No questions, no restrictions, and no more talking." One hand tilts David's chin to the side as their lips meet, wet and dirty. Their bodies brush and tangle in eagerness.

Their hands collide at David's belt. Tommy shoves David's hands away and clumsily undoes the belt with one hand while cupping his bulge with the other, feeling the outline of David's growing dick under layers of cloth. Tommy licks at David's mouth, biting lips and chin and anything in his reach. Their chests rub together: David's is smooth, hairless, and broad; Tommy's is narrower, bonier, hairier.

"This is so much better without clothes." Tommy gets David's pants down to his thighs but stops for the sake of getting his hands back on David as fast as possible.

"Not naked yet."

It sounds like a complaint so Tommy gives David's dick a good squeeze, loving the way David shudders. He backs David into the short stretch of bare wall between the bathroom and bedroom, pushing their bodies together. It feels way better to rub his dick on the tight skin of David's thighs, the softer skin of David's belly, the smooth fabric of his black briefs.

The muscles in David's thighs twitch when Tommy tugs at the waistband of David's underwear. David's pants fall to around his ankles and fuck, that's hot. This is already so much better than rolling around on the floor and coming in their pants. No, he has to make it better. Way better.

Tommy spies the pull-up bar David installed over his bedroom doorway for home workouts. Perfect.

David, noticing the pause, follows his gaze. "Oh no."

"Oh _yes_." Tommy grabs David's briefs and squats down to get them off, peppering kisses up David's legs until he can wrap his arms around David's knees and lift.

David squawks in surprise. "I'm taller than you! And I weigh more!" he protests as if logic would make him suddenly not in the air, grabbing at the bar.

Tommy decides this is the best use he's ever had for super strength and puts a hand on David's ass to steady him. "Doesn't weigh much to me. Put your legs over my shoulders." Watching David realize what Tommy wants to do is hilarious and hot, the way he goes wide-eyed and slack-jawed and his face can't settle on annoyed or turned on.

"This definitely isn't safe sex," David mutters. He looks to Tommy, challenging. "Condom." Before Tommy can protest he adds, "Condoms or the whole deal's off."

"Fine," Tommy grumbles and lets go of David to find wherever he stashes them.

"This is not sexy!" David has time to yell, holding himself in place (like he doesn't do that all the time, what a whiner). While he's looking in the nightstand and under the bed Tommy takes a long second to appreciate the sight of David's whole body flexing, his legs kicking for balance and dick jutting out. Tommy hurries back to his task, finally finding them in the bathroom. He holds up the packet triumphantly.

"Miss me?" He gives a quick kiss to each of David's thighs as he settles between them, letting their weight press on his shoulders.

"Are you trying to give me a hard-on or a heart attack?"

"You could've gotten down," Tommy points out.

"I'm aware." The side of David's mouth curls up like he can't help it, but it turns back into a frown as he sees Tommy staring at his dick. "What were you expecting, a stereotype?"

"It's not that. Your dick looks amazing." It's smooth and curves up toward David's stomach a little, close enough to the size of Tommy's he has no idea whose is bigger without comparing them side by side. The head is smoothly tapered, a little paler, redder, and wider than the rest. Tommy cups his hands on David's ass and squeezes to distract himself from how much he wants to lean forward and suck. "I'm glad it still has its helmet." Tommy hadn't been the only guy intact but he'd been in the minority at school which meant it was one more reason he'd stuck out. He didn't know how the hell to handle it after finding out he's technically part of a Jewish family. Not that it's ever come up or ever will, because Tommy is never going to talk to Billy about his dick. At least David won't be one of those jerks who thinks uncut dicks look ugly; both of them being the same way makes it a non-issue.

David's wry smile breaks out in full. "I didn't always."

"What?" Tommy half-laughs, startled.

"My parents hadn't wanted me to be circumcised but the doctor did it anyway. They were pissed, it was a real mess, but too late for anything to be done. I never felt as strongly about it as they did. I never knew any other way and there was no sense getting angry about it."

Tommy makes an attentive noise as he brushes his lips over David's thighs.

"When I lost my power, I went to hell with my team. The literal one."

"Hey, I've been there too." Tommy gives David's ass another squeeze to get him to skip to the point. "Smells terrible."

"It's the sulphur. Anyway," his voice strains, which gives Tommy a flare of pride. "I had my heart ripped out."

 _That's_ a boner-killer. "Literally?"

"And metaphorically, it's why Nori—"

Tommy runs his teeth further up David's thigh, not wanting to hear about David's ex or near-death experiences when they're naked. 

David chokes off a groan. "Josh—powerful healer mutant—regrew my heart, fixed my vision. Soon I realized that wasn't all he'd regrown."

Tommy stares at David's smooth chest, at his intact foreskin. If Tommy didn't know David better, he would've thought it a lie. Has he ever told anyone else? "Seriously? That's—"

"Got my tonsils back too. It was disconcerting but informative. I elected not to remove anything again." David quirks an eyebrow, clearly done with his story. "If you want to keep looking I can think of many more comfortable ways for you to stare at my cock." His legs cross at Tommy's back, pulling him closer.

Tommy laughs, loving the entire ridiculous story and the way he can see David watching his mouth. "Somebody's impatient." Not that he isn't—here he's so close he can smell hints of David's cologne tangled with the baser smells of sweat and sex. David's tight, dark balls and neat nest of pubes (Tommy bets he trims them) are inches away, _inches_. "I'm going to get you to let me suck you off without a condom someday," Tommy says. As David is distracted coming up with a retort Tommy's tearing open the packet and rolling the condom over David's dick, his mouth following it down.

Whatever David was going to say is lost in a choked-off garble. Tommy smiles as best he can with his mouth full, wishing the angle were better so he could see David's face. He pulls back and hollows his cheeks as he sucks it back down as far as he can get, not quite reaching the base. David's body relaxes into Tommy now that he isn't focusing on holding himself upright. Cupping David's firm ass, Tommy urges his hips forward, changing the angle so his dick slides further in and Tommy's nose touches wiry hair. When Tommy pulls back, David's hips do the same, and when they push back together, Tommy lets his pinky finger slide into David's crease a little, touching the short hairs but not his hole. Damn, he should've grabbed the lube. Or picked a position where his dick touches more than air, shit.

They get a rhythm going, David arching his body and flexing his thighs as Tommy leans his neck in. Tommy's mouth is full of dick and every breath smells more and more like sex, _fuck_ he loves this. The only thing better would be if he could taste skin and not latex. His jaw starts to ache, he's so fucking hard, but David hasn't gotten louder than heavy breathing. Time to pull out all the stops.

Tommy grabs David's ass and pulls it toward him, gets as far down has he can go until he's almost gagging. David tries to pull back to thrust but Tommy keeps his grip tight and hums. He can vibrate his tongue without the noise but it's easier to get the right frequency when he can associate it with a sound.

"Shit," David jerks forward, now barely holding onto the bar and putting his full weight on Tommy.

Tommy keeps humming, pressing his tongue and holding David even tighter so he doesn't choke. He can feel the muscles twitching, tightening as David gets closer.

"Fuck, _shit_!" David is panting. He lets go of the bar and puts his hands in Tommy's hair, rough but not pulling or pushing. His heels dig into Tommy's back and Tommy dials it up even more, squeezing David's ass and his jaw aches and David is gripping tighter and tighter and _there_.

David shouts, curling over Tommy's head and almost overbalancing them. Tommy gets them through the doorway now that David's head is low enough not to hit and gets them on the bed in a second, David falling back onto the sheets loose with orgasm and sweaty and _wrecked_. Tommy is kneeling over David and jerking off onto his abs, cock nudging David's stomach with his erratic strokes. It's so good, _fuck_ , so good, it was awful not to touch himself earlier and the way David is watching him makes it better. Tommy knows David will remember every moment of this forever, the sight burned into his brain, _fuck_. Tommy stifles several noises into the back of his throat as he comes.

David still has the presence of mind to glare at Tommy for the mess on his stomach. Not fucked out enough, then.

"Give me a minute and I can add more," Tommy offers.

David starts to sit up but falls back, chuckling a little at his exhaustion. Tommy graciously retrieves the wet wipes from their place beside the box of condoms and tidies David up. "Seriously, who keeps wet wipes in their house?"

"I like being clean," says the guy with his legs wide open and his dick still covered in used condom.

Tommy relieves him of the mess, laughing when David yelps at the cold of the wipe on his dick. Tommy tosses the wet wad into the garbage can. "Gotta get clean."

"I will punch you." His eyes are half-lidded and he's smiling, loose and relaxed. It's a good look on him, his body splayed open without a care in the world or a stitch of clothing. It's easier to appreciate all the time he spends working out when Tommy can see the smooth contours of muscle, the tendons flexing and veins just under the surface of his skin. Nobody else has ever seen David like this. Tommy's not territorial but he gets, a little, the appeal of being the first, the strange sense of accomplishment. And David's current set of sheets are dark green so it's impossible not to compare it with the green of his suit. David looks good in green.

"That's no way to treat the guy who just gave you the best orgasm of your life."

"Best I've experienced first-hand." David closes his eyes slowly, sleepily. "Not the best in memory. There's quite a bit of competition."

Tommy sprawls on top of David, his dick nudging David's hip as spreads rapid-fire kisses up David's chest and neck. "We've got some work to do, then."

David flips them over so he's on top, one leg between Tommy's and a hand trailing down the pale trail of hair on Tommy's stomach. He looks wide awake now, eyes roaming over Tommy's body like he's formulating plans for how to get Tommy off. It should be ridiculous but instead it's got heat coiling low in Tommy's gut.

David smiles. "Let's see how short your refractory period is."

* * *

Tommy's hardly been in a dry spell but he's thirstier than he can ever remember being. When he was into Kate he'd thought about sex a lot even though they never got around to having it, but something about regular, easily accessible sex makes him want it constantly like it's never enough. The solid weight of David against him, the slide of skin on skin, how his eyes close when he's about to come, how his O-face is just as stupid-looking as everyone else's, his neat freak ways and focused determination when he's getting Tommy off, it's all _exciting_.

Tommy thought sex might be a big deal but it isn't. David doesn't ask why Tommy already knows his way around a dick, doesn't demand romance or wooing. There's no stupid seduction games to play with David like he has to with strangers. All the awesome parts of a relationship with none of the downsides. Billy's an idiot to obsess over romance when _this_ is where it's at.

Since David finally got out of paperwork hell at work his hours are shorter and erratic. Tommy spends more days with him than not and they're unable to keep their hands off each other. One day Tommy manages to keep David naked from the moment he comes home to when he has to leave for work the next morning. He should get some kind of medal for that.

A week into their sexcapades (which is a great word, screw you, David) Tommy is leaving David's place for a party, his legs aching and body loose from sex, when fucking _Billy_ pops up out of nowhere and Tommy almost trips on the sidewalk.

"There you are."

"Jesus, what the fuck?" Tommy doesn't care that he's causing some of the people around them to stare. His heart thunders like he was running full tilt. He tries to remember if there's any sign of David on him but the only bruises he remembers are hidden by his clothes. Safe.

"Sorry," Billy says, sounding not the least bit sorry. "This was the only way I could think of to contact you since you haven't been answering any of my texts."

Tommy is _blocks_ away from David's house. If Billy had pulled this stunt a minute ago he would've been caught. His heart runs a rapidfire beat in his chest and he wants his footsteps to match it, but running away is useless when Billy can find him no matter where he goes. "And what, you decided you were fine if you came on me taking a dump or fucking somebody?"

"No, I—" Billy blushes bright red.

Tommy talks faster, kicking himself for mentioning sex. "I dunno what you're into but leave me out of it. I want to shit in peace."

Billy makes a disgusted face and rolls his eyes. "Don't be a putz. I wouldn't have to do this if you actually used your phone."

Tommy whips out his phone and sends Billy five texts full of poop emojis. He presses the button so fast only half of the emojis he'd meant to send come out. "Happy?"

"This is why I like Teddy better than you," Billy sighs. "I'm sorry I didn't check first. But will you at least answer my texts sometimes? Maybe we could see each other more than when you feel like stealing my cake? I'm not expecting much, just something."

Tommy bites back his urge to say _If you'd rather be with Teddy why don't you go bother him?_ If he doesn't appease Billy here he'll start popping out of nowhere on a regular basis. Tommy can see the smug, delighted face he'd make if he caught Tommy with David, the way everyone would comment on how _similar_ they are. It makes him feel like puking. He waves Billy off. "Fine, whatever keeps you from being a stalker." Tommy bolts before Billy can reply. He runs to Quebec, to California, to Chile and the prickling on the back of his neck doesn't go away. He stays away from David's place for a few days and replies to Billy's stupid texts.

→College entrance essays are terrible. How am I supposed to answer "What do you feel is the greatest threat to our environment?" in under a page?

←Only need 1 word: Galactus

Maybe college will distract Billy enough he'll stop bugging Tommy. At least Billy knows better than to try to convince Tommy he should apply. Billy will spend his parents' money and get his useless degree in Sociology or Superhero Studies or whatever that doesn't mean shit but everyone will coo over how accomplished he is—nevermind Tommy busting his ass doing real hero work and a thankless shit job. Nevermind that Tommy doesn't have the money and doesn't want to go into debt for a piece of paper.

Irritation lingers long enough he switches to emoji-only replies after a week.

"You're sending rainbows to Billy? _Seriously_?" David says when he comes back from wiping off jizz in the bathroom and sees Tommy's phone.

"He started it." Tommy tosses his phone on the nightstand because naked David is way more important. This is his third time seeing David in all his glory and it's not lost any of its appeal. "It's better than what I've been sending him."

David's mouth is frowning but his eyes crinkle in that way that means he finds it funny but doesn't want to admit it. "Giving him a hard time is how you show affection?"

"Only way I know how." Tommy kisses that lie of a frown off his face, gleeful that he can see the asshole side of David (in both senses). They tumble back on the bed together.

After a couple minutes of tongues and teeth David's phone beeps. He pulls back. "That'll be America asking if we're still on to train tomorrow. Want to come?"

"Again? Sure."

David shoves his shoulder. The frowning mouth smiling eyes combo is back. "Get your brain out of your penis for a second."

Tommy looks down at his dick. "I dunno, something might be wrong with it. Maybe you should check."

David breaks into two short bursts of laughter. "I won't until you answer my question. Do you want to train with us?"

"Eh," Tommy shrugs with the shoulder not lying on the bed. "Why bother? I've got my moves and they work fine. Nothing you snails can handle."

"America is fast enough to keep up with you and there are plenty of people not on our team that match your speed. Some of them will gladly punch you. Besides," he leans in close, almost a kiss. "Learn how to play with others. _Come_ together as a team."

Tommy feels like his insides are carbonated and the laughter bubbles out of him. He should get some kind of trophy for getting put-together too-serious David to make bad pun sex jokes while they're naked in bed. It's like he's grabbed hold of that perfect front and tore it away to show something dirty and real and _his_. "You've convinced me. I'll go."

He gets a celebratory blowjob out of it so he's not about to complain. Especially not when David has learned to overcome his gag reflex.

While he and America have exchanged occasional texts, they've not spent much time together outside of the group. Might as well change that now. It feels a little weird ending the time they've spent holed up having sex but it had to end sometime. Besides, it's not like they can't fuck afterward.

The next day Tommy meets David as he's walking up to the building, America coming around the corner as the David turns the knob.

"Nice timing," David says to both of them. They head down a narrow hallway into a high-ceiling basement, the floor covered in red and black mats with puzzle piece edges, cubbyholes and changing rooms by the small strip of bare floor to the right. A small collection of equipment is on the far end, dummies and wooden swords and pads and protective gear.

"It's bigger than I expected," America says as she eyes the space.

"Several schools are splitting the rent. They're all splinter or start-up groups—Kendo, Silat, and Hapkido."

"What are they consulting you for?"

"I'm acting as a neutral expert because the Hapkido teacher is embroiled in internal politics. She needed an unbiased judge for her tournament, hard evidence that somebody is faking his credentials, and a temporary substitute teacher."

America makes a face. "Sounds like a mess."

David nods. "Egos run high and people will divide into us and them no matter what. I'm glad I'm able to help her out."

"You're helping her out on the side for free," Tommy says when he recognizes the fierce look in David's eye. "You're not getting paid for all of that."

America raises her eyebrows and glances between them.

Tommy shrugs, refusing to show how unnerved he is at her scrutiny. "David's a softie. Lemme guess—she split with the other people because they were jerks?"

Before David can respond, America snorts, "Don't act like you aren't the same way, chico."

"I do hero work, which is awesome. I'll take any excuse I can get." Tommy waves a dismissive hand at David ignoring the prickle of America's piercing eyes. "He's doing _work_ work for free."

She smirks. Seeing it, Tommy can understand why Kate goes for her. She tosses her hair back over her shoulder and pulls a ponytail holder out of nowhere, pulling her hair back in a barely contained tail. "Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Anyway," David says to insert himself back into the conversation. "Yes, the evidence-gathering is off the books. The company doesn't allow investigations because of the paperwork and legal ramifications even if they aren't crime-related. But that has nothing to do with why we're here."

"Sure, sure," Tommy waves his dismissal. "Get to the point."

"While she said we could use the equipment, I think the two of you are more likely to break it than find it useful. It's hardly Avengers-grade. Try not to destroy the building. Or me. And shoes off for the mats."

"I'll be gentle with you," America says before Tommy can make the joke— _rude_. As she slips off her sneakers, her eyes flick to Tommy like she _knows._

"You won't be gentle with me?" Tommy grins over the worry chewing his brain, contorting his leg to pull off his sock. "Does that mean you think I like it rough?" By the time he's done speaking he's in the middle of the mat.

In answer, America launches herself at him. Tommy darts just out of reach. She makes another grab and Tommy throws himself at the floor, just managing to catch himself and spring back up. David catches him as he does, holding onto his wrist and stopping America with a look.

"As entertaining as it'd be to watch the two of you beat the snot out of each other I doubt either of you would find it useful for anything beyond venting frustration." His voice is cool and calm, an instructor's voice. "Pull back as much as you can on power and you'll both practice form with me. We'll up the power later."

"Boring!" Tommy rolls his eyes. "I don't need fancy moves when I've got my speed."

"What happens if somebody can match your speed? What happens if you lose your powers? The moves I show you will only be more effective at your speed. You'll have to try harder _not_ to break limbs."

America raises her hands to crack her knuckles, her tank top slipping to show the blue and white stars on the strap of her bra. "I like the sound of that. I'll try it. I can always go back to punching people like usual."

Looking at her in the form-fitting leggings and tank top that reveals a fair bit of cleavage, Tommy can recognize she's hot but it's a distant feeling, not connected to anything. When he turns to look at David in his loose workout pants and tight grey shirt, sees the efficient sureness of every movement, the heat in his gut is immediate. Maybe it's because he knows she'll never be into him. Or maybe—

"I'll explain the basics, demonstrate, and we'll practice a few of them so your body will start to remember what to do. You'll have to continue to use it if you want to integrate it into your repertoire, but this is a start." He smiles, wry. "Since both of you are strong you can succeed even when you're sloppy if your opponent is weaker and doesn't know how to counter."

Seeing David throw America (and getting thrown himself) is fun but the practice is exactly as dull as Tommy expected. When he manages to throw America, when he gets spun around by America deflecting his punch, when he smacks the floor with his arm first instead of hitting it with his whole body, it's satisfying that it wasn't a waste of time.

America accidentally puts too much strength into one throw and David goes flying. Tommy catches him—while David probably would've been fine he'd been headed for the wooden sword rack.

"Thanks," David says as he drops out of Tommy's arms. "I think that's the sign we're done."

Something tickles at the back of his brain. "Wait—one of the people you got moves from was Wolverine?"

David gives him a wary eye. "Yes."

It clicks as he thinks about David flying through the air and a conversation Billy had with Teddy about ridiculous things various heroes have done. "Holy shit, you know the fastball special."

"What?" America says at the same time David says, "Oh no."

Tommy grabs David, who plants his feet in Tommy's hands instead of fighting him off. Tommy hurls him across the room. David tucks into a ball, does a neat little flip at the highest point of the arc, and lands on his feet.

"That's it? Throwing somebody?" America raises an eyebrow.

David jogs the twenty feet back over to them. "It's meant to be used with somebody durable so they can go at speeds far faster than they could run and not worry about the landing. Throw Wolverine at a plane, that kind of thing." David smacks Tommy's arm, "Not very useful for somebody who's only human. Throw me too hard and I'd splatter."

"But you're way more fun." Tommy could catch him before any splattering happened anyway.

"Other people on the team make far better projectile weapons." His eyes flick between America and Tommy. "Between the two of you I'm not sure who'd be better to get thrown."

"This guy can't fly," America says, jabbing a thumb at Tommy. "Him."

"Excuse you, I'm way faster. I'd outrun any throw."

"Not if the target were in the air. What would you do, spin your arms around like a helicopter?"

Tommy turns to David. "You're completely lying about not knowing."

"Yes," he says without shame. "This is more entertaining and doesn't involve taking sides."

"Which one of us would win in a fight?" Tommy asks, hoping the different angle will get him to answer.

"Depends."

"Cop out," America shakes her head. Tommy makes a hum of agreement.

"Truth. Fights aren't all about power. Squirrel Girl has taken down Doom and Galactus solo where entire teams have failed. Circumstances matter." David gives a wry smile. "If power were everything, I'd never win."

"True that," America says with a conciliatory pat on his shoulder. "You are very fragile."

"So puny and weak," Tommy says while patting his other shoulder, fingers brushing David's bicep. "A true nerd of all brain and no muscle."

David's hand clamps down on his then Tommy is flying toward the floor before his brain speeds up to what's happening. He breaks his fall with his arm, springing off his hand to get back to his feet. America is doing the same next to him.

David smiles, spreading his arms somewhere between a shrug and a flourish. "Circumstances. Surprise attacks and joint locks even strong bodies have to obey."

They start an impromptu three-way sparring match after that, poking instead of punching and tossing each other as much as possible. David throws America into Tommy, Tommy tosses David at America and catches him when he misses for another throw, America hurls Tommy the full length of the room. America gives Tommy noogies, Tommy trips her and they all land in a pile of limbs. He's on top of David but it isn't weird because America is smothering him and he's trying not to choke on her hair in his mouth.

"I didn't need those lungs," David wheezes.

America gets up and offers a hand to each of them. Her grip is firm and palms calloused. Tommy takes the opportunity to bop her nose with his free hand.

She laughs, a couple seconds of full-body shaking before she gets it under control. "I'll get you back for that, chico."

"You better," Tommy agrees. The words aren't out of his mouth before she sweeps a leg and knocks him into David.

They tumble to the ground. Tommy's face is in David's armpit, the smell of sweat and _David_ especially strong. Broad arms grip him, David's legs wrapping around Tommy's body.

"Escape while you can," David says with all the drama of the old school _Star Trek_ Billy likes to watch. "I don't know how long I can hold him."

She smiles. "I do need to go. We should do this again sometime."

"Next time, America!" Tommy shakes a fist at her, wiggling in David's grip. "Next time!"

As she picks up her shoes, she chuckles. Feet still bare she kicks a portal into the floor. "I won't forget your sacrifice," she says to David with a salute.

His grip goes slack as soon as she's gone but he doesn't let go. Tommy turns over so their bodies line up. He's half-hard and so is David. "You used me to shield your boner."

"I did." He lets go, slumping onto the floor. "As much as I'd like to encourage it I'd prefer not to have sex on a mat that's seen far too many sweaty feet."

"I'm shocked. _Shocked!"_ Tommy gives a half-hearted thrust into David anyway. "And here I thought you'd be the king of kinks."

David snorts. "I know of plenty. Can deduce what people like. Having them is another matter."

"You have them." David can never stop staring at Tommy's mouth or his suit. He loves it when they're rough and desperate, loves getting manhandled, and has a seriously sensitive taint.

He can feel David's snort this time. "You would know."

Tommy gets hot all over again remembering he's the only one who does. "I don't know enough yet."

"Neither do I. My head is like a library of how-to manuals but I don't know how it _feels_ until I've actually done it. My estimations are sometimes off."

"You're a nerd even about sex," Tommy runs his hand over David's shoulders. "You'd be hopeless without my experience. Completely hopeless."

"It doesn't take much to have more than me," David says. "I doubt you've got it all figured out."

"Never said that. I'll admit a lot of the sex I've had sucked." He winces at the memories, trying to remember a time it was good and having trouble coming up with anything. "Boring and awkward. Couldn't use my powers since they were all clueless snails."

David looks like he wants to ask something but is holding back. Tommy pokes his side. "You want to know if I ever got it on with Kate."

"I do," he admits. "I'm curious about everything. But there are limits to what I should pry into."

"You're assuming she's uptight about that stuff. If you texted her right now and asked if she and Marvel Boy ever tried anal, she'll answer as long as you dish back. She's the main reason Billy got over his embarrassment about sex. In the beginning he couldn't even mention condoms without going bright red and clamming up. Anyway it's not like I did anything major with her. I got my hands down her pants once or twice, that's about it."

"Tommy—"

"And this one time she suggested a threesome with Eli but he lost his shit at the idea, of course." He chuckles even though the memory doesn't seem as hilarious as he remembered. "I think that was when he finally got it in his head that flowers and carriage rides in the park weren't her thing."

Good thing he'd never been in love with her. Maybe he'd been close to the point where he wouldn't have minded if he had but it ended before that could happen. David works as a fun interlude until he finds the right girl again.

David makes a thoughtful noise. Tommy realizes David might be about to ask what he'd say to Kate if she asked about his sex life now and doesn't want to hear the question. He springs to his feet, offering a hand to David. "We should go get clean so I can get you dirty in the fun way."

David takes his hand, their palms warm against each other as neither of them let go right away. "Sounds good."

He's looking soft-eyed and sappy so Tommy decides to change the mood. "Speaking of anal: it's time we tried it."

David chokes, coughs, then laughs. "Sure, but—who tops first?"

Tommy takes a second to decide. "We've got this whole mat. Let's fight for it."

"A win-win scenario. I like those odds."

"You bet your ass you do."

* * *

David is doing pull-ups trying very hard not to think about how the bar had been used almost three weeks ago. He's always had a good handle on his libido but Tommy is a new level of distracting. The memories are summoned up with every salacious detail at the slightest suggestion but it's so satisfying that they're all _his_ memories he has trouble getting annoyed about it. He wouldn't mind talking more than they do but that'll come in after they're out of the honeymoon phase. After they've hit a month it'll calm down.

Maybe by then Tommy will relax and be willing to date openly. He shouldn't hold out for that, it's a bad idea when Tommy has repeatedly stated he doesn't want that kind of relationship, but David can't help but hope.

His phone beeps with a text alert from Teddy. His workout is about over so he stops to check his phone.

→Getting a group together for HTTYD2. Want to come?

David had watched the first How to Train Your Dragon movie with the team in one of their moments of down time during the multiverse roadtrip. It was cheerful, predictable, and cute—a good distraction when they needed it after so much horror. Loki's criticism of the movie Vikings and subsequent arguments with Billy and Teddy had been amusing. Kids movies are too formulaic for David to find them appealing but it'd be good to see the whole team again. It's been awhile since they've all been together without a minor crisis to take care of. Another message arrives before he replies.

→Do you think you can convince Tommy to come? He's been a ghost and barely responds to texts. We're worried about him.

While David doesn't keep close track of Tommy's whereabouts he's not surprised Tommy's still avoiding his brother. Teddy probably decided he should intervene. If there's any hope of resolution, the brothers will have to be in the same room. This is as good a chance as any to make a start. It's been going on too long as it is. For all Tommy's talk it's clear he cares about Billy—Tommy wouldn't be so fixated on Billy's opinion of him if he didn't. There has to be some solution where everyone gets what they want.

←I'll see what I can do. What day?

After going back and forth on everyone's availability they agree to an early Saturday showing. Now it's a matter of convincing Tommy the next time he comes over. He doesn't come over that night, but the next day David comes home to Tommy heating up leftovers.

"Hey." Tommy glares at the microwave, insulted that it takes an entire minute to heat things up.

"Hey." David smiles a little at Tommy's impatience. He suppresses the urge to kiss the frown away. "How was work?"

"Annoying like always. You'd think somebody could think of something better than assembly work for my powers."

"There's always the Speedsters Union." Not the first time David's had the thought but the first time he's shared it.

"Ugh, but they're all way slower than me and have rules and all that shit. Also, hell no to lawyers." The vehemence in Tommy's voice says that his public defender for his juvie case had been terrible. Tommy's frown deepens as he sticks a finger into his spaghetti to see if it's heated all the way through. "How's Bargain Bin Brainiacs?" Tommy puts the food in for another 30 seconds and sucks the sauce off his finger.

"It's not—" Annoyance flares hot and bright before David squelches it. It's something David thought himself recently in a moment of frustration. Yes, the company is based on offering expert knowledge without typical expert credentials and yes, many of his coworkers have suspicious backgrounds, but it's not like David can judge on either point. Better to give former AIM operatives and the like a positive outlet for their skills with legitimate work that doesn't mind how they came across whatever skill they have. "Not just brainiacs. We have a new hire who's a hippo man. He's doing demolitions." While it may not be David's ideal job, a place that gives chances to people who need them isn't a bad place to be.

"No shit?" Tommy laughs and pulls out his food again.

With the mood lightened, David jumps subjects. It's refreshing how little speedsters care about conversational segues. "The team's getting together for a movie on Saturday."

Tommy slurps noodles, asking while his mouth is full, "What movie?" 

" _How to Train Your Dragon 2_."

"Isn't that a kids movie? _You're_ willing to see a kids movie?" Tommy's hoping David doesn't want to go and can use that as an excuse to skip.

David shrugs one shoulder. "There are worse ways to spend my time. It'll be good to see everyone."

The chip in Tommy's armor appears—he misses them too. "I can't believe Billy convinced you to see a kids movie. About dragons."

"As you say, I'm a nerd." Not particularly nerdy about dragons but that's not the point. "You coming?" Before Tommy can say no David adds, "You've been avoiding them a long time now." 

"So?" Tommy throws the word down like a challenge.

"So," David says in a softer tone. "I'm not the only one who's noticed. Billy will lay off the texting barrage if he sees you in person." Tommy's expression starts to soften so David keeps pushing. "Movies mean minimal talking. The conversation will revolve around it instead of your personal life. A couple hours in the dark, maybe half an hour on either side of the movie talking about it, and you're done."

"Fine, I'll go. You've convinced me." Tommy raises his hands in defeat. "But I'm making my own way there."

David adds the last touch to soothe his annoyance."Open season on making fun of everyone for going to a kids movie."

That gets a grin. "I'll never let any of you hear the end of it."

"I expected as much. I'm going to shower," David says.

"Don't have fun without me," Tommy winks.

As he undresses, he mulls over the stipulation of going separately. Tommy can avoid being seen with David and skip on paying for a ticket all in one go. David's rush of success sours when he remembers this will be the first time they've seen everyone since they started having sex. It'll be good for them, David decides. He needs to keep himself in check and staying cool in front of the team will be a good way to do it. Getting overeager and pushing Tommy past his boundaries would be miserable for both of them.

The shower is perfunctory. He isn't surprised to find Tommy gone after he's out—Tommy didn't jump him while he was undressing, which meant sex wasn't on the table today. Sex is an excellent balm to work stress but he hardly needs it every day. He fires off a quick text to Teddy.

←We'll be there.

David spends the rest of the week working on two time-sensitive contracts thanks to the sudden resignation of a coworker and his boss's brilliant decision to split the case between him and the new hire. While Maggie does her best, she's not ready to be thrown in so suddenly. It's a terrible time for everyone and David is glad when Saturday arrives. He doesn't even mind the commute to the larger, further away theater. David's the next person there after Billy and Teddy. Both of them are wearing worn t-shirts that say Han Shot First with different designs. Teddy waves him over where they're standing along the wall near one of the cardboard movie displays. "Glad you came."

"Are you willing to play the part of Loki and grumble about all the Viking inaccuracies?" Billy smiles.

"I'll leave that to the expert." David wonders how Loki's doing—he'd been in the process of changing and David wasn't sure where it'd lead. While David knew getting involved with Loki would be a bad idea, it hadn't been without appeal. Loki had faults but the desire to change was genuine. Maybe they'll meet again once Loki has discovered who he is.

"Will Tommy be here?" Billy asks, brown eyes wide and worried, interrupting David's thoughts.

"He'll be here but we won't see him until we're about to sit down." It takes a moment for what he means to sink in; Billy and Teddy shake their heads.

"He's been impossible lately. As bad as when he first got out of juvie. He barely talks to me, he won't talk to my parents at all, he's been so—"

"Strange," Teddy finishes. "He likes vanishing and hates when people ask where he is but he must realize we're worried about him."

David knows he's treading a fine line here—Billy and Teddy are worried and as their friend he wants to reassure them but he can't do so at Tommy's expense. Tommy's always had things lurking under the surface but everyone treated that as normal. "He's not one for talking. Is he that much worse?"

Doubt spreads over Billy's features. "Well, kind of? He ran off on our birthday and barely responds to my texts."

"He doesn't text me much beyond pictures." Now that David has snapchat installed the content of those pictures has taken a sharp turn. He's had to stop checking texts from Tommy in public. Some of them were very tempting to save but he sees enough of Tommy in person to not feel the loss. "Tommy is always sporadic about contact."

Billy sighs.

"He'll turn around," Teddy smiles at Billy.

To his relief, David doesn't feel the jealous pull at the sight.

"I'm glad you convinced him to come," Billy says with an appreciative smile. "He actually listens to you."

David shrugs. "I'm good with people and he wants to be convinced. It's the least I could do."

They exchange palaver about their lives—David's job, Billy and Teddy's college hunt. They wander up and down the long front hallway of the theater as they talk, searching the crowd for the rest of the team.

America ducks in front of a slower group walking in, surveying the glowing red text of the movie times to the neon blue of the concession stand further down before she sees them and comes over. "Did you buy your tickets yet?" she asks in lieu of a greeting.

"Not yet," David says. "We were waiting on everyone to get here."

"Too bad Kate isn't here." Billy pulls out his phone to fire off a text to her. "Or Loki."

"At least Kate texts us back," Teddy says. "I have no idea what Loki's been up to."

"He's kept off the radar since his stunt with the Avengers. I haven't heard anything of him since he showed up in Jersey." David knows of a few other sightings but those are too unsubstantiated to be sure. One report was of a woman in Loki's usual getup which raises questions David won't find answers for unless he talks with Loki.

" _Jersey_? Are they sure that was really Loki? Swamps don't seem like his kind of place."

Teddy nudges Billy in the shoulder. "Hey, leave off the Jersey jokes. They can't help being the Garden State."

"If I'm going to watch a movie I like it without constant commentary." America had threatened to kick Loki repeatedly before he stopped his rant about the first movie. "But it would be nice for everyone to be here."

David doesn't think that last part refers to Loki but he could be wrong. While America and Kate clearly have something going on, David isn't sure what was between America and Loki outside of animosity and shared secrets. "LA is doing a lot of good for Kate."

"When she isn't complaining about cat food," Teddy agrees. "I don't think she's much of a cat person."

"At least she's better at dogs than Clint," Billy says. "He kept trying to feed it pizza."

Noh-Varr walks up to them from around the corner by the ticket counter—was he upstairs?—and everyone goes quiet about Kate. He heard, given the sad look on his face. He's unevenly stubbled; he shaved but not well or recently. It's not a good look for him but at least he's out of his ship.

"Hey, Noh," Billy greets with too much enthusiasm. "Good to see you. It's been awhile"

"Thank you for inviting me. I've been meaning to try the buttery explosion that is Earth movie popcorn." He doesn't quite meet anyone's eyes. "I'd like to obtain some for all of us."

"Tickets first, then we'll hit the concession stand." Teddy moves to queue up. In short order they all have tickets. America heads upstairs to save seats. Noh-Varr looks over the food options, wondering how much is called for. David stays to debate with Billy and Teddy over how much butter is too much butter. The people behind them are close to strangling Noh-Varr before they're done but he's perked up with his giant tub of popcorn.

Billy isn't paying much attention, eyes roaming the room.

"He'll be here," David assures. They have ten minutes before the move starts.

They're upstairs heading into the theater a couple minutes later when Tommy appears at their side in a gust of wind. "Hey, enjoying your overpriced food?" He grabs a handful of popcorn and shoves it in his mouth.

"Tommy!" Billy and Teddy say in unison, smiling. Billy looks like he wants to hug Tommy but stops himself.

"Yeah, yeah, the coolest guy is here to make you look less lame." Tommy nods at Noh-Varr, does the same to David.

David has to suppress the tiny, irrational hurt. It's not that he's surprised—when they agreed to keep it casual, this was part of the deal. The lie of omission is a necessary evil; it's not like he wants to tell everyone and cause drama. The way things went with Teddy, it's going to be complicated no matter what. There's not been enough endogamous relationships on the team to dull the question firestorm that'd erupt if they found out. It's better for both of them to keep it under wraps.

This isn't how he saw his next relationship after Noriko or his first sexual relationship going. It's not like he had extensive plans—David knows relationships are too unpredictable for that—but he'd had different ideas in mind when it came to living with a long-term sexual partner. Lying to all his friends about it hadn't been on the table.

A lot of things in David's life haven't gone to plan.

But there's no going back now. It's a good way to ensure David doesn't overstep. It's a necessary reminder of how things are: Tommy isn't in love with him and that's that. That could change but banking on that is a bad idea. He has to be satisfied with what they have.

When they all get to the row of seats America is keeping clear, David watches Tommy plop down on the end beside Teddy. David is on the other edge next to America. It couldn't be clearer how Tommy wants this to go.

David sits and puts it out of his mind, talking to America and listening to the others. Teddy makes murmured comments to Billy during the previews and David sees Tommy add his own comments. Teddy laughs at one of them, and although David can't see his face from this angle he's sure Teddy is smiling.

The movie starts and David finds himself looking at the others' reactions more than the movie. America and Noh both have stoic faces, their reactions small. Billy and Teddy keep up constant commentary, holding hands and leaning into each other. Tommy continues talking to Teddy—it's nice to see them getting along. This could be a real first step in healing the gap between him and Billy. The lost mother theme is clearly causing a reaction in Billy. Tommy's more likely to respond to Billy than to the movie.

The giant tub of popcorn is passed around, David pretends a couple times that he's turning toward America to ask for it instead of looking at Tommy. The fifth time, he forces himself to stop and goes back to watching the movie. He occupies his mind with the research he knows about Vikings, the impact dragons would have on ecosystems; he doesn't think about how he'd like to hold Tommy's hand, maybe remind him public movie theaters aren't ideal makeout locations.

He glances over later, and Tommy is absorbed enough he's no longer talking to Teddy. He's glued to the screen—he got invested despite himself. His hands are curled into fists as the protagonists fight the Alpha Dragon. (David is proud of himself for not groaning aloud at the ridiculous machismo plotline based on faulty biology.) Soon the movie takes the inevitable dark turn and the dragons are under mind control. David glances over again but Tommy is gone. He must've misinterpreted Tommy's apparent interest in the movie. Tommy must've gotten bored.

It doesn't feel like the right conclusion but David dismisses it. He hasn't seen the others for awhile and shouldn't spend the entire time pining after Tommy.

* * *

Tommy doesn't make a habit of being there when David comes home, exactly, but now that they're a month into fucking it's clear that's one of the easiest times to get David to go for sex. Grumpy post-work David welcomes distractions so Tommy is there more often than not. It feels more than a little lame to be spending time sitting around instead of going out but it's less boring than he expected. David doesn't feel like they have to talk if they're in the same room like Teddy and Billy do. He's hilarious when he gets annoyed at Tommy distracting him; Tommy always feels accomplished when David goes for sex over studying. David is nerdy enough for that to be a real feat. Tommy's accomplished a lot lately.

Sometimes he's been tempted to share David's bed for more than when they're having sex. He can tell what it'd be like waking up—everything the same liquid-soft like when he's running in a warm wind, the half-annoyed, half amused sleepy smile David would give him. Thinking about it makes his whole body buzz like he's vibrating to find the right resonance to explode. That feeling gives him all the warning he needs. If he lets himself fill up with that nonsense, nothing good will come of it. He has to limit how much he indulges. But now that he's cooled off for a day he wants to get back to sexytimes.

David is late today; maybe he went out somewhere. They don't bother sharing schedules most of the time so Tommy has no idea. He could be hanging out with that blue girl or one of the other X-people. Maybe David got it in his oversized brain Tommy would be spending another day away and is in no hurry to come home. He could text and ask but that's too much like actually caring. There's David's movie collection, the laptop Tommy has mostly taken over, and lots of things to eat. It's not bad to kill some time there even if he's itching for a quick fuck instead of milling around. He could beat off and be ready again by the time David shows up, if he does.

Fuck, this is stupid.

What's the point of being friends with benefits if he doesn't get the benefit when he wants it? There must be something wrong with him if he wants to spend time sitting around being boring instead of going out and surrounding himself with noise, light, people, and booze. He hasn't done as much partying as he used to before New Years. His mind won't turn off and he ends up thinking about useless shit. Hell, when he was out two nights ago, instead of flirting with the girl that came up to him, he'd apologized and said he wasn't interested, claimed that he had somebody already. Why did he feel _relieved_ when she went away?

The doorknob rattles and saves him from any more annoying thoughts. Tommy is there in a split second to unlock the door himself. He throws open the door and the snappy remark dies at the sight of David's grey shirt covered in blood.

"Shit!"

"It's not mine," David says like that makes it any better. "I'm fine."

Tommy looks him over—dirt and dried blood cover his shirtfront, less on his pants. He smells like gasoline and burning and looks exhausted, weirdly unfocused. He doesn't have any trouble walking but Tommy ushers him inside by the elbow anyway. "What happened?"

"Car crash. A bad one. It happened right in front of us." David looks like he's going for the kitchen to sit in one of the chairs but Tommy redirects him toward the bathroom.

"Us?"

"America and Teddy were with me. Good thing. They tore the cars open to get the people out and helped put out the fire."

"Fucking hell." Tommy flips the bathroom light on as he helps David to sit on the toilet lid. The parts of David's shirt that haven't dried yet reflect the bright light. "How many cars?"

"Five. One car was crushed like somebody had stepped on it, that's who—" he gestures at his shirt. "I had to stabilize the driver until the scene was safe enough for the hospital staff to come through the portal."

"America made a portal directly to the hospital? Bet that shocked the nurses."

"They're New York nurses. They deal with that kind of thing daily." David's eyes slide closed and don't open again for several seconds, like it takes real effort to open them again. "Hopefully that was enough to help save them."

Is he in shock? David being anything less than competent and poised doesn't make sense. Seeing him like this, all unresponsive and small, is creepy. Tommy gets him a glass of water because he keeps licking his lips. "Here."

"Thanks." David takes a small sip, then hangs his head. "It's been years, I didn't realize."

Great, now he's being cryptic. "Realize what?"

"The smell. It's getting to me." David takes a careful, slow sip of water. "It brings back memories of M-day."

 _Fuck_. Fucking M-day, the day that made every mutant hate his mutant-mom, which drags Tommy into the whole mess by association. Finding out he has another family wasn't worth all this damn drama. Tommy kneels down and unties David's shoes. If the smell is setting him off they should get rid of these clothes.

"There was a bus. Full of kids like me, who'd lost their powers." David's voice is soft, wandering, like he doesn't realize he's speaking at all. He puts the glass down. "A group of anti-mutant militants blew it up. Everyone ran out to help but it was too late. Forty-two people died."

Tommy hates the way his gut twists. This has nothing to do with him. It's hardly the first horrible story about M-day. Except the ones Tommy had heard were about individual suffering because of power loss, not incidental deaths like this. 

Three words. She spoke _three words_ and did all that. His speed is awesome but how can he compete when he's in a family of ridiculously powerful people? It's only a matter of time until something goes tits-up because they're angry with him or drag him into something by association. It might mean more than a few months of his life next time. Tommy yanks David's shoes off, takes his socks for good measure.

"I don't blame her." David's taken his glasses off and is looking at Tommy as if he sees everything. His frames hang off his limp fingers like they've been forgotten. Tommy's gut twists again. David's the one who was just in a car wreck and he's trying to comfort Tommy, what the fuck?

"Why not? Plenty of people do." Tommy takes the glasses, folds them, and puts them on top of the sink. David doesn't even glare a protest. Tommy turns away to get the shower running so the water will heat up. "It's not like it has anything to do with me."

David raises an eyebrow but it's only a ghost of his usual expression. "I was angry at first. I'd had so much wrapped up in being a mutant." David does another long blink, runs a hand over his hair. The shower doesn't overtake the sound of their breathing or the rasp of his fingers over his wiry hair. "But losing my powers gave me a new perspective, new options. Before I could only use one at once. I'd subconsciously limited my own powers to make sure I didn't run amok. It might've been years before it was safe for me to try to overcome that mental block. I lost some things and gained others." David is staring at him. Tommy never noticed that his eyes are an entirely different kind of brown than Billy's. Billy's are as dark as his hair and all one color. David's are lighter, redder, with a dark outer ring. It makes them especially sharp. "No sense in being angry at somebody who didn't hurt me intentionally."

Tommy looks away. He can think of plenty of reasons to be angry. _Ugh_. There are way too many feelings happening. "You reek. Get in the shower already."

"Right," David agrees and starts to unbutton his shirt. His fingers are slow, fumbling. It turns Tommy's stomach so he takes over, stripping David down. Seeing David naked under the spray isn't even remotely sexy because he's all hunched up like the water's too cold. Everything about this is wrong.

Fuck, this sucks. This isn't how he wanted to spend his evening at all. He has to get David back to normal. Work stress is easy to soothe with sex but this is gonna need more than that. He's a nerd, maybe he wants to watch nerd stuff like Billy does?

Since David doesn't look like he's gonna fall over Tommy leaves the bathroom and pokes through David's custom interface that collects all the streaming services and purchased digital titles into one list. Scanning through he sees a lot of familiar titles— _Game of Thrones_ , _Battlestar Galactica_ , _Breaking Bad_ , _Gotham Central,_ _Young Justice_ —all shows Billy talks about, but how much does David actually like them? Tommy's always insisted on mindless action movies, horror, or reality TV instead of nerd stuff when they watch anything together.

Fuck it, David can figure it out. Maybe he'll want to have sex to take his mind off it all and this won't have been a waste of a night. Except the thought of fucking David while he looks so blank is beyond gross. Tommy will offer nerd TV and David will decide from there.

As soon as the water turns off Tommy delivers David his pajamas. He's looking more normal, subdued but not so unsteady. Watching David dress makes him feel like a creeper so Tommy walks out saying, "Come on. I'll watch some nerd thing with you."

David pulls a shirt on over his head, small smile revealed as it emerges from the collar. "How nerdy are we talking?"

"Nothing that aired while I was living with Billy. I've heard so many conversations between him and Teddy, I might as well have watched all that shit 70 times." The way they talked it was like another language and Tommy didn't have the dictionary. He'd been triumphant then confused when he figured out that "shipping" was talking about who people want to bang in the show. _So weird_. Tommy pokes at David to get him to walk faster than a shuffle to the couch. They sit, bodies close enough Tommy can feel the warmth of the shower and smell David's fancy soap. They stare at the automatically scrolling list of TV shows.

The silence stretches out long enough Tommy would think David fell asleep if his eyes weren't open. Finally David asks, "So you'd be fine with a later season of something?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever. You pick. As long as it's not one of those films where nobody talks and it's all weird scenery and shit."

David must feel like testing him because he puts on _Young Justice_ season 6.

Tommy gives him a look. "A kids show?"

"I can't always predict it," David says in its defense. There's no fire behind it, he's too tired to argue.

Tommy hopes this fixes him. There's a text from Teddy as the opening plays. Tommy unlocks his phone, angling the screen away from David.

→Super Kart night. Want in?

Tommy's never understood the appeal of a racing game with a stupid superhero theme, especially because the button reaction time is _so slow._ Teddy's only being polite. If he's stressed out from today he wants alone time with Billy not a third wheel. Tommy types out a rapidfire reply.

←pass! 2 busy having awesome sex

Teddy doesn't respond. The first time Tommy ever used that excuse it was true; now he uses it as a sure-fire way to be left alone for a few hours.

As the episode plays Tommy asks as many obnoxious questions as he can—who people are, how they're related to others, what's the backstory. Tommy's seen parts of a few episodes and heard Billy gush about it but it's all scattered pieces. David frowns like he knows Tommy isn't that lost but answers anyway. Tommy wonders if David realizes he left his glasses off—he's never seen David without them so long.

They don't make it two episodes before David's nodded off. He slumps over on Tommy's shoulder, cheek squished and distorted. It's pretty hilarious so Tommy snaps a picture. He deletes it a second later—if anyone saw it he'd have to explain how it happened. The remote is too far to grab without dislodging David so Tommy lets the show continue to play. It's not as interesting without David to annoy even if this episode has a lot about the speedster. Green and silver is a way better color combo anyway.

The episode finishes and David is still sleeping. One of his hands is lax is in his lap, palm turned up. Tommy runs a finger along the transition from darker to lighter brown skin along the edges, bends a finger back to look at the dark creases at each joint and forward to look at the neatly trimmed nails and cuticles. If Tommy couldn't feel the callouses under his fingertips he'd assume these hands belonged to somebody who never did anything harder than typing. Tommy pokes the meat of David's palm but he doesn't even twitch. He does it again a couple times, watching the way David’s fingers curl inward.

Tommy swallows around his tight throat and picks up his phone. He hasn't annoyed Kate in ages. Might as well do that now while he’s bored.

←So am I still banned from talking to you because you're on a road trip of discovery or what?

The response comes in less than a minute.

→I expected to have to beat you off with a stick. SHOCKED!!!! you listened. David really is a genius.

Tommy is miffed. Why is David getting all the credit?

←hey I listen

←when I feel like it

He hesitates for an attosecond before he adds,

←you could've asked me yourself

It's not like the New Year's kiss meant anything but he'd thought he'd be the exception, not get slotted in with everyone else on the contact ban while Kate was away. Distance means nothing to him and they've always got on well. The thing between them is over but he thought they were closer than she was with anyone else.

→too hard

→you know how Billy gets

→I had to do it alone or not at all

Tommy types out several responses and deletes them before settling on the simplest.

←yeah

→LA's been great! mostly. lots of problems I didn't see coming but nothing I couldn't handle

→felt good to do on my own, you know?

→and my newfound appreciation of bikinis helps

Tommy stares at the phone, wondering if he's somehow misreading it.

←be sure to send pics of your sunburn so I can laugh at you

→HA

→no

→I meant seeing them on other people

→warm weather is a blessing

Tommy frowns. Kate and America had been kinda flirty, sure, but he didn't think that was going anywhere. It'd been a joke. They're a pretty gay team but it's not like they're _all_ gay. Right?

Back at New Year's she'd phrased it like a question. _Am I the only person on the team who's straight?_ Why would she phrase it like that when the answer is obvious? Even if she might be turning gay she'd know he isn't. Unless she didn't consider him part of the team. Or assumed he'd turn out like Billy one day.

→Maybe I can get Billy to use his demiurge powers to give me wonderful weather everywhere I go. What good is having a magical messiah on my team if I can't have that?

Tommy's heart hammers in his chest so loud it's amazing David can sleep through it. _Magical messiah_. She's exaggerating. Billy is hardly savior material, not when he mopes for months. He's powerful, yeah, but he's not that. Picturing Billy as Jesus is pretty funny. Tommy should share it with Kate.

He googles _demiurge_ instead, misspelling it twice before predictive text catches up with him.

> _
> 
> _dem•i•urge // ˈdemē ˌərj_  
>  _noun:_ **demiurge** ; plural noun: **demiurges**
> 
>   * a being responsible for the creation of the universe, in particular.
>   * (in Platonic philosophy) the Maker or Creator of the world.
>   * (in Gnosticism and other theological systems) a heavenly being, subordinate to the Supreme Being, that is considered to be the controller of the material world and antagonistic to all that is purely spiritual.
> 
_

Not a messiah but a god. For a second the world seems to sink away, his stomach turning over like he took a hill too fast.

Billy, a _god_? Ridiculous. The Jesus joke isn't funny, it's stupid. He swipes away the search screen but his mind lingers on the blocky text of _controller of the material world._ He pushes the thoughts out of his head and types up the next thing he can think of instead.

←should I expect to see you on the next Girls Gone Wild?

→you wish

→and spare me the patriotism jokes David beat you to it

So it _is_ America. Kate's actually into her and she already told David about it. Is Tommy the last to know? Of course he is. David's the kind of guy people open up to; Tommy's the kind of guy people call when they want to have fun and forget. Tommy reaches for a joke, does a quick google of the lyrics for _America the Beautiful_ , and fires off his final text.

←Whatever you say Purple Mountain Majesties

He's about to put the phone away to ignore Kate's inevitable flurry of replies when he sees a text alert from somebody else. He opens up his messages—it's from America. While they've texted a few times, it's hardly a thing for them. He opens it up.

→Check on David. He looked rattled after we helped a car crash earlier

Tommy feels his insides squirm as he types out a reply.

←Y don't u?

→He'll be honest with you

Tommy stares at those words a long second, debating responses as David's head weighs heavy on his shoulder.

←fine

Sending the message doesn't make the uneasiness go away. Clearly he's sat around long enough. David might be starting to drool a little. He doesn't wake up as Tommy slips out from under his head and lays him out on the couch. David will complain about the poor back support but better that then the crick in his neck he would've had. Tommy covers him with a blanket and debates drawing a dick on his face. Tommy opts not to since it was a legit shitty day and he doesn't want to deal with the argument in the morning.

Tommy spends a moment wondering where to sleep since his usual spot is taken. Fuck it, he doesn't care enough to leave for one of his usual crash spots. He brushes his teeth and goes to David's room. It's strange slipping under the sheets by himself. The bed smells faintly of David—detergent, cologne, soap, and sweat. It's familiar and relaxing and Tommy feels a sharp jab of hate in his chest for how much he likes it, how much it feels like gravity is pulling him down to stay there and how easy it'd be to let it.

If he keeps thinking about dumb shit like David's eyes and scent he'll end up just as gay as Billy.

The thought sits like a burr in his mind, settling beside the echoes of what his dad used to scream. When he tries to think of something else, _demiurge_ turns over in his mind. Does he really want to know more or will knowing only make things worse?

It takes forever to fall asleep.

* * *

David wakes up under the wrong ceiling. It takes him a moment to place his location and how he got there. He doesn't remember much of what happened in the haze of stress and exhaustion—Tommy goading him into the shower, distracting him on the couch. He's surprised Tommy didn't move him to his bed since he enjoys manhandling David every chance he can get. Must've lost its appeal since David wasn't awake to protest.

It's been a long time since he's felt so wrung out. He knows he should get up but stays laying down, his body heavy and uncooperative. The hunt for Tommy had been hard, especially after the deeply disturbing rabbit world, but the need to keep moving and the team's presence had buoyed him. There's no reason for this level of exhaustion right now. Compared to how he'd felt after Utopia, this is nothing.

Tommy won't be here now. Last night stretched him far past his comfort level; he'll snap back and keep his distance. They're lucky they made it over a month without Tommy getting skittish. David closes his eyes and sighs. They made it that long because most of the time they're together these days, they have sex. Instead of evanescing as he thought it would, it's increased into almost daily coition. Every surface in the apartment has seen amorous activities. Not so long ago David had been lying on the couch like this with Tommy on top of him, scrambling for the condom lost in the cushions.

He's not complaining about the sex. Not really. He enjoys putting his knowledge to use and Tommy has enough experience and enthusiasm to make it a good time for both of them. (David tries very hard not to wonder where and why Tommy's had sex with men before.) 

But no amount of physical enjoyment erases the fact that this isn't what he wants. 

_Stop it,_ he chides himself. No need to be greedy when he has so much of Tommy already, so much more than he ever thought he'd get. Tommy extending comfort, in his own way, had been good. Too good, because David can imagine other ways they could be together that bit more. It's like a wound that won't heal because he can't stop fiddling with the bandages. 

David gets up and takes a shower to wash away the melancholy. It partially succeeds. He calls in sick for the first time since he started and spends the day reading. Tommy won't show up for at least three days so he can take his time getting over this emotional roadblock.

The next day he goes to work as usual but a huge fight breaks out downtown so work is over for the day because of the evacuation. He meets up with Teddy and ends up heading to space to get in touch with Noh-Varr about Exterminatrix, which leads to them getting tangled up with The Hood. By the end, David feels more _himself_ at using his brains to escape the situation with everybody intact. He and Teddy feel more like actual friends now. He feels some guilt over lying to the others about the Watcher's information but David knows something this sensitive is best kept under wraps. Not like he isn't lying already. He'll tell them eventually.

Tommy stays away for five days, which gives David plenty of time to start on the info dump and get his head back in order, work some extra hours to make up for his day of moping. Tommy shows up at the tail end of his lunch break, sweeping in with a grin like nothing had happened.

" _There_ you are. I hadn't thought you'd be across the street."

"It was convenient," He shrugs, eating the last bite of his croissant sandwich. "I don't have long."

Tommy's smile turns sly. "Long enough for a bathroom break?"

Disappointment overwhelms him but he doesn't let it show. "No."

"You sure? I can be very fast." Tommy leans in, all invitation.

David should be glad to see Tommy, should be enticed and excited at the suggestion instead of annoyed. "My lunch hour is over and my trainee is waiting for me."

"Spoilsport." Tommy pushes back and hops out of the chair. "I'm off, then. See ya!"

David knows it's silly to miss Tommy the moment he's gone but does anyway. Maybe they'll see each other tonight after David's done with work. He wonders if he'll be able to persuade Tommy into a movie night or going out instead of sex.

Maggie smiles at the sight of him when he gets back. She's overly friendly in that midwestern way but her genuine good cheer makes up for the moments of invasive familiarity.

"David, hi!" She's peppy for the midday.

"Hey. Have a good lunch?"

"Sure did. Looks like you did too. I saw you at lunch—was that your boyfriend? He's cute."

His entire body goes tight. "What?" _Recover, respond!_ If he doesn't act fast it'll become a situation and they're within earshot of the biggest gossips in the office. "He's not my boyfriend." Not a lie. He'd wanted to say she was right, wanted it to be real in that small way, but that would've been a lie. 

Maggie waves her hands apologetically, leaping in before he can gather himself. "Oh gosh, was it rude of me to assume? I'm so new to big cities and this hero business, I looked up everyone's HeroPedia pages before I came in and saw you're bisexual." She can tell she's bothered him but is unaware of the ripples through the office her words have caused. "You just, you looked so close."

It feels like his ribs have turned inward to puncture his lungs. David can see people in the office surreptitiously pulling out their phones to check. It's not that he was hiding it specifically, he's been hiding everything. He didn't want to go into anything personal with these people and his dating life was included in that. Now it's been taken out of his hands. Teddy must've added it; he'd joked David's page needed updated. Or Billy—he's just as active on such sites. The edit history will tell. And now David is out to the entire internet. It shouldn't bother him, he _wasn't_ hiding it, but his stomach sinks and his ribs pierce deeper all the same. He tries to think of a way to downplay and misdirect but his mind isn't working properly. "He's on my team," is what his mouth says for him. More truth. It's amazing how much warping he can do with the truth.

"Oh, no wonder." She smiles, relieved like no damage was done. "What a lovely idea, to have a whole team of gays. My nephew has the biggest crush on that sweet boy, the one with the cute hair and green boyfriend."

"Not everyone on the team is gay." He's thought how nice it'd be if everyone on the team were queer—they're close as it is—but hearing somebody else framing it like that sets his nerves on edge. He feels anger spark in his chest and it must show on his face given Maggie's hasty apology. The subject is dropped and he goes on to show her more about the online consultation process. The whispers continue for the rest of the day. He hears somebody retreat from the bathroom at the sight of him using the urinal, fewer people drop by his cubicle. The anger sits uneasy in his gut along with the twisted emotional logic that it wouldn't be so bad if he'd been able to say he's dating Tommy. Dating somebody doesn't change his bisexuality, doesn't justify anything because _there's no need to justify it_. This is the same stupidity that ended in him kissing Teddy.

Try as he might, the thoughts cloud his mind on the commute home. He misses Tommy and doesn't want to see him at the same time—the contradictory wonder of emotions. He wants to have sex with Tommy and then talk about nothing, he wants to share a bed and complain about his arm falling asleep because Tommy is lying on it, he wants to wake up together and have languid, lazy sex.

When David gets home he can see Tommy's been there in the shifted chair and wet kitchen sink. "Tommy?" No response. He must've left again.

David might as well use the opportunity to work on the Watcher's information a little more. He wrote out the most of list of nonsense numbers he'd added to corrupt the data then hid them as a cypher in a fake draft of a thesis paper. He hid the next set of numbers in an image file but left some of the junk numbers in his head. It'd be stupid to write out the entire key and make all the efforts he'd taken to keep the data from everyone moot.

Now that he doesn't have to worry about remembering the millions of numbers he'd inserted there's still the matter of finding where he'd stashed all the Watcher's information and converting it into something he can read. He'll have to write a program that will decode it but won't reveal where it's all hidden or what he's inputting for the missing pieces, then store the result somewhere just as secure. And come up with a contingency so if he dies somebody he trusts has hope of accessing the information and can keep it just as secure.

He begins to write out what he knows and what he's looking for to better visualize his needs and goals. With all the things the Watcher knew, it'll be hard to keep focus.

> Find all info on magic, magicians, legends, religions, supernatural entities, alternate dimensions, twins
> 
> How much did Loki know? Who else?
> 
> Changes in rules echo. Repercussions throughout spacetime. Magic will do as necessary to self-perpetuate
> 
> Non-entity is catalyst created to fill void, will appear as needed Created to prevent accidental or random selection? Volunteer close to demiurge, knows cost of failure

The last line is hard to type. The more he thinks of it, the more his theory of the Patrinot's identity seems probable. He has to find a way out. Whatever might be done to him could be undone if Billy's power lives up to its potential and David can find the right loophole.

He hears the swift beats of footsteps behind him. Reflexively he minimizes the document but with Tommy's speed there's no telling how much he might've seen.

Tommy spins the chair around, his hands on the arms as he leans over David.

"Hey." Tommy's breath is hot in his ear, the heat of Tommy's body radiates over him. He doesn't look worried or angry so he must've ignored the words on the screen.

The angle of Tommy's arms shows a little of his pale armpit hair peeking through his short sleeves. David finds himself charmed at the sight, the worries of his future fading to the background. "Hey yourself." 

They lean in for a kiss. Tommy's lips are soft and David presses in, pushes up into Tommy's biting excitement until they're both standing.

Tommy rubs his upper lip over David's faint stubble. "I can't believe you insisted on sitting through hours of that shitty job."

The want that'd been building in him freezes. "It's not—"

"Your work sucks. All you ever do is talk about how Chad—seriously, what a douchebag name—is a racist jerkoff lazy boss and your job just as monotonous and stupid as the call center. There are better ways to spend your time."

David takes a deep breath to blunt the edge off his anger. "Tommy."

Tommy pulls his pants and briefs down in one go, nudging David toward the bed so they'll have sex instead of talking this out.

David turns despite the difficulty of his clothing hobbling him at the ankles, grabbing Tommy's wrists. He lets some of the annoyance seep into his voice. " _Tommy_."

Tommy shoves him back on the bed and starts to crawl on top of him. David, now free of his pants, has the maneuverability to prevent it.

"Fuck, do you actually want to talk right now?" Tommy rolls his eyes, taking the opportunity to strip.

"My job is important to me. I don't appreciate you denigrating what I do." No, David doesn't get on with most of the staff but that doesn't mean the job itself is bad.

"Fine, whatever." Tommy stands in front of him, hands on hips, gloriously naked. "Are you saying you don't want to fuck?"

 _Yes. No. Yes._ "No, I want to." This is such a bad idea but he's missed the intimacy, the immediacy of sex. Skipping now might mean waiting days until Tommy is willing to try again, might break their balance.

"Really?" Tommy's gaze is hard and green, suspicious.

David meets it unflinching, ignoring his doubt. "Come here and find out."

Tommy is on him in less than a heartbeat, all scrabbling fingers and bony limbs. Their kisses are open-mouthed bites. Tommy pins him on his stomach, kissing the back of his neck, running eager fingers over his shoulder blades and spine. Tommy lays on top of him, settling his cock in the small of David's back as he begins to move his hips.

It's not the position he'd prefer right now but he's not about to protest. Tommy's breath comes harder but instead of hot, David finds himself annoyed at the imminent mess, at how he can't move to get any stimulation beyond pressing into his sheets. He could say something but it's not a big deal. It's over quickly, a patch of wetness spreading on his back. David's face pulls in disgust. Tommy is heavy on top of him, sticky and sweaty and unappealing. 

"Come on, get up."

Tommy grunts and rolls off. David raises to his hands and knees, trying to keep level as he grabs tissues to sop up the worst of the mess.

"What about you?" Tommy's voice is muffled by the pillow.

"Later. I'm going to get cleaned up." He's barely tumescent. His skin feels sticky even after being wiped off. Seeing Tommy dozing off in his bed makes his chest ache. He wants to kiss him, talk it out and have sex again until the lingering irritation dissipates.

He wants a boyfriend.

 _Stop that._ David's erection is flagging and by the time he's back in the bathroom to wipe it off he's soft. It's stupid to be irritated. It was just bad sex, it happens to everyone. He takes a shower instead of heading back out. An orgasm won't help his mood. By the time he's rinsed off Tommy is gone.

Something has to give. He doesn't want to break things off. He should distract himself with the enjoyable now, remind himself that what they have is far from bad. The point of this was to have fun, not lament over possibilities. The way Tommy looks sometimes implies something more than lust and friendship. Tommy puts up a front, that was obvious from the get-go, but after being around him so much David can read him well enough to know that he cares more than he'll admit. The possibility of having a relationship with Tommy is so close.

Dangerously close. The last thing he needs is another Teddy incident. He shouldn't alienate a friend because he's convinced he's right.

A compromise: David won't initiate sex anymore. As much as he enjoys it, holding himself back a little will be beneficial—give him restraint, cut down on how much sex they have, and show Tommy still wants David enough to ask. Imperfect but workable.

After that Tommy barely shows up and never stays more than half an hour. David is tempted to initiate sex to get him to stay a little longer—this isn't what he'd wanted—but sticks to his new rule. He watches Tommy move around the house in bare feet, watches Tommy emerge from the bathroom with green shirt rucked up to scratch pale stomach and he doesn't do anything about how much he wants to touch that strip of skin. He can control his own libido. He can wait for whatever Tommy is feeling to come out on its own. Two weeks later Tommy greets him with hands and mouth as soon as he's inside the apartment. David is so ecstatic he doesn't bother protesting that he's still wearing his work clothes.

Tommy presses him into the door, the thin fabric of his tank top and boxers barely a barrier between them. His lips slide up David's jaw until they reach his ear. "Hey."

"Hey." David wraps his arms around Tommy, sliding his hands between tank top and boxers to feel the warmth of Tommy's skin, the dip of his spine.

Tommy leans to the side to kiss David's neck and leave his chest exposed so one hand can start on the buttons. David feels more air than fingers as his shirt comes undone. David uses the opportunity to turn them around, Tommy against the door as David crowds him in.

David has both his hands up Tommy's shirt, feeling the flex of shoulder blades as Tommy moves his arms around David to untuck his shirt.

Tommy's about to say something but David can't wait for the quip, he seals his mouth over Tommy's and pushes his tongue inside.

Tommy groans, sucking at David's tongue and running his hands up David's sides. They're all hands and heat and pressure, David's body between Tommy's legs. The couple inches David has on Tommy means they don't quite line up while standing but once he lifts Tommy and braces him against the door they line up perfectly.

David leans into Tommy, loving the flex of Tommy's legs around him and their cocks becoming tumid together. He can feel the burn of arousal building in his gut but he wants more.

Given Tommy's biting kisses and how determined he was to get David's shirt all the way off, Tommy wants it too. David slides his hands under the waistband of Tommy's underwear, pushing it down until it's over the boniest part of his hips.

It takes a couple minutes before David can come up for air. "We need—"

"We're good," Tommy says, guiding David's fingers down until he can feel the slickness of lube by Tommy's hole.

"When did you—" Did Tommy prepare ahead of time or did he do it so fast David didn't notice? He's not sure which he finds more appealing.

"Less questions, more fucking," Tommy says as he flourishes a condom packet.

It's a scramble as David hoists Tommy against the wall to a stable position so David can get his erection through his fly and the condom over it.

Tommy shimmies his boxer briefs down until they're stretched tight over his spread legs, indenting the skin and obscuring his cock. As David presses in he feels the elastic against his stomach, pulling Tommy's legs against his sides. The boxers ride up until they're almost to Tommy's knees and Tommy is bent in half between David and the wall.

They both exhale as David slides in. The tight heat feels so good David accidentally thrusts the final inch in, both of them gasping.

"Like that, _fuck_ like that." Tommy tries to shift his hips but the angle is all wrong.

David shifts his grip on Tommy's ass and pulls out, then pushes back in. He does it again a little faster, relishing the slick heat.

"Come on, come on."

David sets a pace harder, faster than he's ever dared try. Their bodies are pressed together, Tommy hampered by his lack of leverage and awkward angle but his demands for more get shorter and breathier. Tommy's knees are practically in David's armpits but all he can focus on is the wet slap of their bodies, the building rhythm and the bounce of Tommy's cock caught between their bodies and the stretched cloth.

David shoves at the boxers so he can get a hand on Tommy's cock to thumb his foreskin, not caring how the door is rattling or the wetness he feels sliding down toward his pants. His hips move of their own accord as he tries to get faster, deeper than before.

"Fuck," Tommy pants. David squeezes the head of Tommy's cock. "Fuck, fuck," his whole body jumps and clenches, one hand grabbing the back of David's neck until his blunt nails prick David's skin. "Fuck!"

David feels wetness seeping over his fingers. He disregards it as he goes back to holding Tommy up with two hands and thrusts the thirteen times he needs to climax.

"My legs," Tommy groans. Disentangling is difficult but they manage without either of them falling over. Now that Tommy's boxers are pulled back up, David can see the red crease they left on Tommy's thighs. David runs a thumb over it.

"Yeah, next time I'm losing the boxers." Tommy tugs at them while he steadies himself on David's shoulders. One side of his tank top is still rucked up to his ribs. They both wobble together trying to keep balance.

David looks down at the mess of his open fly and stained pants.

"Hope you know how to get rid of stains." Tommy says with a proud smirk.

David glares but he isn't even close to angry. "You did it on purpose."

"I never realized that barely ever needing to shit would have such sexy consequences," Tommy laughs into David's neck, ignoring the accusation.

"Your post-coital talk is terrible," David sighs.

"I think you broke my ass," His legs are still shaking. David holds him close to support his weight, enjoying the feeling of Tommy relaxed against him.

Tommy runs an appreciative hand up David's back. "We should do that again once my legs remember how to work."

"Sure," David says. "Anytime you want." _Anytime_ turns out to be half an hour later when they're in the shower together, David stretched out against the wall and Tommy behind him, holding his hips with bruising force as he pushes inside.

David closes his eyes and focuses on the blunt burn of Tommy's cock as it fills him. _It's enough, he wants me and it's enough._

* * *

 _Shit_.

David doesn't want to have sex anymore. If Tommy asks, David is willing and it's as good as always—Tommy managed to get David to prostate orgasm yesterday and the way he'd shaken and shouted and clenched around Tommy's fingers is Grade A jackoff material—but he never asks for it anymore. Between that and the nagging curiosity of what the hell is going on with Billy, it's been harder to turn his brain off and have fun.

If David wants to stop their agreement, he'll say as much and they'll be fine because the whole deal was to keep things easy and uncomplicated. He hasn't used excuses to get out of having sex or anything. Maybe he's overwhelmed by how good it is and can't cope with constant orgasms? Whatever. Until David says he's done, Tommy will take every bit of enjoyment he can. It's only a matter of time.

"What's the occasion?" Tommy watches appreciatively as David smooths down his shirt, one of the button-down ones with a slight sheen that invites touch. It looks even better as it tightens when David turns to look at him, emphasizing the smooth planes of muscle underneath.

"Going out." David turns to his closet to pull out one of his many (so fucking many) suit jackets.

Tommy intervenes, wedging himself into the space between David and closet. "Out as in _out_ out?"

David drops his hand from the hanger but doesn't move away from Tommy. He smells like cologne, citrus and musk and whatever other fancyass shit that makes Tommy want to lean in and inhale. "With America. She wants to go to a club—"

"And you were gonna wear that? What kind of lameass place were you going to go? No, don't bother, clearly you need an intervention. I'm coming with. I'll take you somewhere good." What happens to that cologne when David works up a sweat?

David's mouth purses and his eyes narrow, but he doesn't say anything. He probably was going to take her to some fancy place where everyone sits around and listens to jazz and eats tiny food on big plates instead of someplace people actually move. He's been acting so fucking weird. Maybe he'll get drunk and get over it long enough to have fun and they can go back to normal.

Tommy changes before David can protest. A tighter pair of jeans and tighter shirt and he's done. The shirt will probably come off anyway. He watches David's eyes take in the new shirt, linger on the wide collar, and feels a thrill in his stomach when their eyes meet. "Good enough?"

"Add a belt," David recommends as he turns to grab one of his own. Tommy takes it from David's hands and moves the trim hips to face him. The buckle clinks as Tommy slides the end through David's belt loop. He slides his hands around David to find each loop and tuck the belt through it, listening to the way David's breath hitches. Once it's all the way through Tommy gives both ends a tug, pulling David's body toward him. Tommy looks up at David and grins. He keeps grinning as he fastens the belt.

David's eyes are intense but he doesn't move, doesn't even touch Tommy. What the fuck? Tommy finishes putting on the belt, annoyance crackling at the edges. "I'll leave the belts to you."

"Right." David turns away and Tommy isn't sure if he wants to leave or shove David onto the nearest flat surface or goad him until he finally does something.

"When's America coming?"

There's a knock at the door. "Right now."

Tommy is already there, throwing it open. America's eyebrows rise at the sight of him but she doesn't say anything. "I heard you're going out and I'm here to save you from a night of boring. David's still primping."

There's an annoyed noise from the bedroom. Tommy turns back and says, "Fine, manly primping, whatever."

"'Getting ready' works," David says as he emerges from his room looking far too fuckable for a dude wearing yellow. Or dark orange or whatever that color is.

"Are we ready now?" Tommy asks like he's been waiting ages. The longer America is here the more chances she might notice the things Tommy forgot to hide away since he had so little warning she was coming.

"I'm good to go." She looks between David and Tommy, eyes full of something like curiosity. Tommy doesn't like it, whatever it means. "Where to?"

"Berlin," Tommy says before David can protest. "Kreuzberg has tons of good clubs." He'd discovered early that it's easier to find places in Europe to score a drink. He goes over the options and gives America a good place to pop out unnoticed.

"Isn't it late there?" America asks.

Tommy waves away her worry. "The parties will be going strong for hours yet. It's fine."

As she winds up for a kick Tommy wonders if she has any clothing that isn't patriotic—at least Eli gave it a rest out of costume. Not that Tommy minds the short shorts revealing thighs that look like they could crush his head. He's not disappointed he doesn't have a chance with her but feels some strange sense of loss all the same. Maybe it's because Kate goes for patriotic types and not him.

David gives some boring-ass facts about Germany like the living encyclopedia he is as they walk. Tommy's glad they don't have far to go. Why bother with statistics and history when the actual place is right in front of them ? The sooner there's music the sooner he can dance and forget about everything. Eons later, they're finally inside. Tommy doesn't know why David was so insistent they queue up when they all could've skipped the line entirely.

Tommy heads for the bar first. "Drinking downstairs, dancing upstairs," he calls back to David and America as they trail in his wake. "Bathrooms on the back wall both levels." Tommy wonders how drunk David would have to be to have sex in a club. He'd probably pass out first. The bartender recognizes him as he approaches. Tommy holds up two fingers and two vodka shots arrive. While all the bartenders and much of the clientele speaks English Tommy likes the simplification of hand signals. It's louder tonight than it is on Sundays, when he's used to coming.

Tommy downs the shots and moves over to David, hearing the tail end of what sounds like flawless German. The language changes his tone, deeper and rough over the consonants. It makes Tommy wonder what David sounds like in other tongues. "How many languages do you speak?"

"A lot," he says with a half-shrug. "Those I don't I can figure out with some time and effort. I met Cypher at school so I've absorbed the innate know-how in addition to the languages everyone spoke." The bartender hands David two glasses of beer. One goes to America, one stays with David. They migrate to an empty corner.

America strikes a casual pose leaning against a wall, the dim light hitting her legs. She sips her beer and surveys the crowd. "Not bad."

"Wait til you get upstairs. I'll stun you with my sweet dance moves." He gives a brief demonstration and that gets a small smile out of her. Getting her to laugh always feels like a victory, though he's starting to see the humor hiding under the resting bitchface.

"Sprite?" asks a familiar voice behind him. _Oh shit_. Tommy turns and there's Jordan, sorta-leader of a group Tommy had taken up with when he'd first found this place. Tommy has met plenty of people in his international club wanderings but he'd opted for this group the most because they never asked questions. About half of them are American exchange students or foreign nationals whose German isn't good enough so English is the common language of the group. Tommy is one of many rotating faces surrounding the core group and they're all so caught up in their own interpersonal drama nobody cares that Tommy's had one night stands with half of them.

He hasn't seen them since the vanishing act and hadn't planned on changing that. Maybe he'll luck out and Tekin or Joaquin won't be here.

"Sprite?" David asks just loud enough for Tommy to hear.

Tommy ignores him. "You're here on a Friday," he says, stupidly. They're here like clockwork every Sunday; why the fuck didn't he think they'd come here other days of the week? At least it's just Jordan. Aside from the annoying pronoun thing ze's pretty chill. Tommy can hear the reprimands he'd get from Billy and David at finding any pronoun a hassle which makes him even more annoyed.

"So are you. It's been a long time since you've come around." Such a simple way to sum up Tommy going missing for months. It's not stated as a concern but a fact. Jordan's pale eyes slide to David and America, then slide back. "And you brought friends."

Tommy has never mentioned anything about his life outside the party, not even his own name. Jordan gives enough shits to point that out but luckily not enough to actually ask. This will be the extent of acknowledgement anything happened. Tommy knows he should feel relieved but he doesn't. Instead he asks, "Is everyone upstairs?"

Ze nods, curiosity vanishing from zir face. "I'll be down here with Maria."

He turns to David and America and instantly hates the way they're looking at him. "You two are gonna take forever to finish your drinks. I'm hitting the dance floor." Ducking through the crowd at superspeed is shit for cover but he has to find out who else is here. If he meets them first it'll minimize the awkward shit said in front of David and America. It's stupid to care, they're people he dances and drinks with, it's not like they're friends. None of them gave a shit that he vanished for months and that's how it should be. The stupid thing was coming here with his other life in tow.

"Holy shit, Sprite!" Igel and his lime green hair appear in front of Tommy, Yiping's dark hair and her matching green ribbons at his side.

"Where the hell have you been?" It's not a question. Yiping smacks his arm, then grabs it to drag him the remaining ten feet to the others.

"Sprite!" comes the chorus of greetings. Sarah (H) and Sara (No H) are their usual study of opposites: tiny angular dark Sarah next to tall curvaceous pale Sara. Joaquin has gone from bedhead to buzzcut—unfortunate given how much he liked getting his hair pulled the time Tommy fucked him. He's dancing with Tekin in a way that means they're back to being fuckbuddies. Klaus is talking to Chicken, probably complaining about his latest girlfriend like always. Shawna is talking to some girl Tommy doesn't know but stops to collect a hug, lingering by his ear to whisper _missed you_. Tommy doubts it given how badly he'd performed when they'd had sex. She'd been his first and he'd made an embarrassment of himself—he hadn't been able to get hard and she had to lead him through getting her off with his hands. It'd felt like a sweaty chore instead of fun but Shawna shrugged it off so he'd done his best to forget about it.

"You been obeying your thirst?" Chicken waggles his eyebrows.

"Always." Tommy hears somebody calling his name and knows the inevitable horrible moment has come. He turns to where David and America have cut through the crowd. "Speaking of which," he gestures ambiguously, letting them decide which one he means.

"Nice!" H offers a high five. "Can't blame you there."

"Everybody, this is David and America. America and David, everyone." Tommy waves a hand. The group splits into two so Chicken can tell the story of how he got his idiotic nickname with Igel's help as they do every time and the ones who don't feel like hearing it can skip out.

"You got dibs on either of them?" H asks, speculatively eyeing up America.

Tommy makes a derisive noise. "Fuck no. You know me. Nobody can keep up." He wonders if David can hear him over Chicken and feels his irritation rising. He isn't drunk enough to deal with this shit. "Have at."

H grins and shoves a bill into Tommy's hand. "Next round's on me."

Tommy's off to make good on the offer. After he's downed a couple more shots it's tempting to find one of the other clubs, maybe sneak into the one that always has a ridiculous line and snag a bottle of something expensive. But the thought of leaving David to ask questions and concluding fuck knows what is unacceptable. No need for him to hear about Tommy's sad little line of one night stands. (Well, three nights with Joaquin but whatever.) The last thing he needs is more of David's stupid judgmental face. It's bad enough dealing with that from Billy.

The next shot burns down his throat. It sits uneasy in his stomach as he climbs the stairs. Fuck. He should've known this would happen. It's always a matter of time. Tommy gets back to the group as the Chicken story ends.

David turns to him, eyebrows raised. "That was some story."

"Everybody has to hear it. It's easier to let Chicken tell it than be forced to explain it later." Tommy shrugs.

"Why doesn't Igel tell his story?"

Tommy gives David a confused look.

"Igel means hedgehog."

"Oh, that's simple. He used to spike his hair."

David hums. "How many groups like this do you know?" His look is thoughtful, not critical.

"Wherever there's a party." Hardly true given there's no other group he's integrated with this much but if David missed it Tommy isn't about to help. Maybe he'll escape without his sexual history coming up at all. He moves over to Shawna and pulls her onto the dance floor, spinning her around a couple times to make her laugh. The beat pulses and it takes longer than usual for it to feel like his heart is pounding in time but then it's _there_. Everything is movement and sound.

Except it isn't. The edge of annoyance is still there. He doesn't dance with Shawna so much as next to her, Tommy mimicking her hip movements a couple times when they face each other to get another laugh out of her. But then the girl she was talking to comes up and Tommy backs away to dance with a couple other girls instead. He catches sight of H and No-H showing America a couple moves as they dance in a circle, Yiping and Igel together like always.

Somebody comes up to his side and Tommy turns to see David dancing like he does it every day, matching Tommy's movements. The metal on his belt buckle catches the colored lights as he moves. So maybe the belt was a good addition.

"Thought you didn't like dancing?" Tommy changes up what he's doing and hates David a little when he follows without missing a beat.

"I don't hate it either," David leans more into Tommy's space, almost touching but not quite. Tommy steps into his space and David steps back just enough so that the gap remains, angling legs and bodies to stay inches apart as they move around each other.

This is how they work: no bullshit, no discussion of feelings, just bodies in motion. It feels good knowing somebody can keep up with him. It's crowded. If he touches David, just a little, nobody would know but them. Tommy distracts himself from the urge by asking, "So which of the X-men know how to twerk?"

David laughs and the alcohol burns warm in Tommy's stomach. David looks best when he's laughing—it highlights his cheekbones, softens his perpetual worry until he actually looks his age for once. Tommy pulls his shirt off and twirls it over his head to make David laugh more. He can feel the heat of David's body, sees the way his eyes keep dropping to Tommy's chest despite trying to maintain eye contact. Tommy nudges one of David's arms until he feels fingertips brushing bare skin by the base of his spine. Their eyes meet, David's brown eyes questioning, and Tommy feels a jolt of desire disproportionate to such tiny points of contact.

The air shifts, a buzz of presence Tommy's learned to associate with magic. A familiar magic. He jerks away from David, shoving his shirt back on and scans the room. How the fuck did he—

America emerges through the plain of waving bodies, glowing cellphone in hand.

In her wake are Billy and Teddy.

 _Fuck_. 

"Hey, bro," Tommy shouts over the music and watches Billy's face wrinkle in distaste. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"He called wanting to hang out and heard the music," America explains. Her face is impassive but it almost sounds like an apology.

"Don't be a jerk, Tommy. Why didn't you tell me you were clubbing?" Billy sniffs, "Are you drunk?"

"A couple shots. It's legal here." Tommy rolls his eyes so hard it feels like they might pop out of his head. "Don't act like you weren't blasted at New Year's."

"That was New Years after we'd just saved the world! It's completely different."

Teddy puts a soothing hand on Billy's shoulder, wrinkling the sparkly blue material. "We're all here now. Why don't you introduce us to your friends?" He nods at Igel who's waving at them to come over.

Oh, fuck no. "They aren't friends, they're people I've partied with a few times. What, do their parents need to talk you your parents before you can come out and play?"

"Tommy," David reaches to put a hand on Tommy's shoulder like a mirror of Teddy. He's halfway downstairs to the bar before it can land. Two more shots and he's a little more ready to deal with this shit. Instead of feeling full of energy at the press of people all he feels is boxed in and overheated. When he's back on the dance floor the music is too repetitive, grating, and it's hard to see why he ever liked coming here. He approaches Billy and David but spends a few moments eavesdropping.

"Do you come here with Tommy often?" Billy's asking David. Teddy's talking to Klaus, who's probably asking about his workout regimen like the douchebro he is.

"No, I've never been here before. Haven't been to a party like this since New Year's."

At least David is keeping his mouth shut. That's one less worry for the night.

"At least this time nobody's threatening to erase you from existence?" Billy's smile is so strained it looks more like a grimace.

David's answering expression is just as stilted. "Technically, I said that, not you."

The guilt on Billy's face makes it clear he'd meant it. Tommy pops between them, laughing over his spike of rage. "You two nerds at a loss on how to party?"

"Techno isn't my style," David says. His eyes flick to the side and Tommy knows it's a warning.

Joaquin is staring at Tommy and Billy. "There's two of you!" He turns to Tekin for a sober opinion. "There's really two?"

Great, now he won't be able to escape comparisons with Billy here, either. Half a world away and he's back to being _the other twin_. Stupid, stupid, why did he let this happen? Now he'll have to find a new group—it's not like he really cared about this one but it's inconvenient.

"Ja," Tekin says, then launches into a string of German. Joaquin responds back and they're laughing.

David's eyes dart from them to Tommy and he's sure they were talking about sex. But if they were discussing sex with twins (ugh) or past sex with him there's no way to know. He'd been drunk and frustrated at how bad the sex had been with all the girls and he'd thought trying guys wouldn't be so bad. Tekin and Joaquin knew their way around dicks enough to make him come but it'd left Tommy restless and dissatisfied all the same. He'd tried again with Joaquin when he was mostly sober to the same result. Why was that sex so different from fucking David? Did something happen to him while he was kidnapped that changed what he was into?

"You know them?" Billy says in that fucking gossip-hound voice. Good thing he can't understand German.

"Sure, they're part of the group. Maybe you should ask them for tips whenever you get past your PG-13 rating." Tommy curls a hand in front of his mouth and pokes his tongue into his cheek suggestively. Tekin sees and gives Tommy a thumbs-up, dragging Joaquin toward the toilets.

"Tommy!" Billy hisses, bright red. Teddy looks like he's trying to go Red Hulkling.

"Tommy," David says, softer. Fuck, is he _trying_ to get them caught?

"Well, you dick-lovers have fun!" Tommy backs away, waving. He has to fix this, he has to make sure Billy can't possibly pull him into the fucking pride parade, acting like it's a sign of the stupid fucking magic that connects them. "I've got some ladies to meet."

He dances with every girl on his way over to where America, Shawna, H, No-H and a few other girls are gathered. They're all hot but his pulse doesn't quicken at the thought of horizontal dancing with any of them.

Before Tommy can join America is in his path, a silent pillar in the middle of the undulating floor. Her eyes are piercing. "Stop running." She glances off to the side toward David and Billy then back at him.

"I'm not running. I'm avoiding Billy bullshit."

"I didn't say Billy."

Tommy throws up his hands in the air. "Why the fuck can't anyone on this team mind their own business?"

She continues staring him down. "You answered your own question."

Tommy ducks around her, not bothering to respond. He goes up to the group of women with the biggest grin he can manage.

One of the girls is looking at him (dimpled smile, light brown skin, hair all the way down to her ass). He winks at her, and she smiles. Fuck this drama, he's got better things to do. If he can't get into somebody this beautiful something must be broken in his head. Maybe it has something to do with that demiurge whatever.

"Do you speak English? I can't do German, sorry." Bodies are most of talking and he makes his flirtation clear.

"English is fine." She smiles, looking him over with dark eyes. Her eyelashes are ridiculously long. "Unless you speak Punjabi."

"My tongue is talented in many way but not that one. Sorry." It's a line and he's sure David would laugh at him for using it but it works. She breaks off to dance with him, her movements shy but encouraging. They spend a bit dancing, moving closer until their limbs bump together and Tommy has to back off with an apologetic smile. He concentrates on where his arms are moving, hating that he has to focus on it so much, that this feels like effort instead of fun. It's a relief when music changes to something slower.

She raises a tentative hand toward his face. "Can I?"

His hair is one of the easiest ways to score people. It looks awesome in the colored lights. "Sure."

Her touch is so light it barely registers. "It's so pale."

Tommy looks up and sees David through the crowd. It's too far and too dark to really see his face but Tommy feels like he's swallowed lead. What's wrong with him? This was the deal. This girl is cute and it's David's fault if he's unhappy about it anyway.

He looks down and smiles at her. "Want to grab something from the bar? Talk where it's a little quieter?"

"Sure." She leads the way, holding his hand. He walks by Billy and gives him a thumbs-up like he doesn't still feel made of lead. It only gets worse as they get closer to the bar. Tommy extracts his hand from her grip. He needs a drink.

Tommy orders 5 shots. He downs two right away and sees her frowning over her beer. Before he can ask about it Teddy looms in from the side, startling the poor girl with his bulk. "Sorry, would you excuse us?"

"I'm busy." Tommy downs the next three shots, feeling angrier with each one. It's hard to be angry at Teddy and that makes it worse. How did Billy end up with a guy like him? A guy that almost makes Tommy believe people aren't all shit. David would've been an idiot not to make a pass at him. If Billy and Teddy are ever on the outs again, David will be lined up waiting for a chance. Tommy can't blame him. Maybe that's why he never wants to have sex anymore. "Don't you have a boyfriend to babysit?"

"Tommy," he chides with that damn kicked puppy face. The girl is gone but Billy appears at Teddy's side, which turns all the lead in his stomach roiling.

"What, is it not enough you're a killjoy you have to be a cockblock too?"

"We're concerned about you," Teddy says in the exact same tone his teachers had used back before Tommy got stuck in juvie. Talking about _concern_ and _worry_ but what they meant was _nuisance_. No wonder Billy and Teddy weren't looking for him.

"All we want is for you to—"

"Get off your fucking high horse." He'll _give_ them a reason to worry. "You're not my fucking mother, you're not even my real brother. We're not family outside of your wishful thinking."

Billy looks like he's been slapped. Tommy feels a surge of dark satisfaction like tearing off a scab and letting the blood and pus leak out.

"Sure, you like the idea of having a super-powered brother. But fuck knows you don't want to deal with me. Stop dragging me into your shitty family and leave me alone. I _like_ being an only child." He's out of the bar before the bouncer can show up. The night air is cool and his stomach is heavy and uneasy. Fuck, this was stupid. So fucking stupid. He should've let David take America somewhere boring and beat off in the shower instead.

Warm hands are on him, familiar hands helping him stand up. When had he sat down?

"Please don't puke on me," David says. One of his arms wraps around Tommy's waist to help him stand.

Tommy shoves him away. David can't touch him here, somebody will see. For a fraction of a second he overbalances but he compensates. "I'm fine."

"Bullshit." Oh, David's getting angry.

"I don't need you and you fucking hate that. I don't do what you want and you hate that, too." Tommy's voice goes high and mocking. "David always knows best."

"Tommy, that's not—" David tries to put a hand on Tommy but fuck that noise. He almost stumbles again.

Broad hands land on his shoulder to catch him. Teddy. "Tommy, we'll help you get you back to your place."

His place is David's place and he can't let them know that. "Fuck off!" Tommy struggles but Teddy is everywhere, stretching his arms to compensate.

"He isn't safe on his own," Billy says in that prissy little tone like he's never broken a rule in his life. "The things he said—he needs to come home."

"I can—" David says but Billy shakes his head.

"I'll deal with him. My parents will understand."

"Your aren't my family and neither are your stuck-up parents!" Tommy snarls, knowing Mrs Kaplan will go all psychologist on him and suggest he take pills so he behaves like a good little boy. She'll talk about how he was _abused_ like his dad yelling meant anything or how he's _so unfortunate_ and write down all the ways he's damaged goods. Like trauma is the only reason she can think of for why he is who he is.

" **Be quiet!** " Billy says in his magic voice. Tommy's mouth moves but nothing comes out but air.

He's trapped. He's trapped and going to turn into nothingness again. He struggles and screams and everything turns blue.

* * *

"Please be sober. Please be sober. **Please be sober**."

Tommy vomits into the toilet in front of him, not sure where he is for a moment until he recognizes the air fresheners. Only the Kaplans have useless shit like that and fuzzy toilet seat covers. He isn't sure if the vomiting or the magic clears his head but he knows he needs to get the hell out, now. "Why the fuck am I here?"

"Why do you think!" Billy bursts out with all his twee rage. "You've been avoiding me, you run off on our birthday with our cake, you get drunk at some seedy club in Europe and yell all kinds of nasty things and _I'm_ the one at fault? What the hell has gotten into you?" Billy closes the toilet lid and flushes it. The sick smell on top of fake flowers had been awful, the clearer air makes for a clearer head. Tommy blinks and the bathroom is gone. They're in Billy's room, Teddy sitting on the bed looking like an oversized anxious dog.

"Feeling better?" Teddy asks as he rises to his feet.

"I will when I get out of here." Tommy moves to the door.

Teddy steps into his path and turns those big blue eyes on him. "Please stay, Tommy. We've been worried about you."

"Talk to us," Billy urges.

Why do they both have to harp on him at once? "I'm fine."

"You're not fine." Billy crosses his arms like he thinks it makes him look intimidating. "Getting drunk at a bar and getting angry out of nowhere isn't fine."

"Did something happen?" Teddy's voice is full of concern like Tommy is some kind of fucking victim.

Billy is soft and sad and doe-eyed. He grabs Teddy's hand, squeezing hard like Tommy is so awful to deal with he wants reassurance. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"Unlike you, I don't need to discuss my feelings with everyone I see. Later." Tommy dashes for the door, ready to phase through it. He hits a wall, bouncing back hard enough his entire body aches. "What the fuck?"

The whole room and Billy glows faintly blue with magic. "I've sealed us off. We can talk without any interruptions and you can't run out on the conversation."

No. No no no no _no_. Tommy feels his limbs shake with rage. "Let me out."

"I just want to talk—"

"And I don't want to fucking talk!" His heart is thundering. "Let me out."

Teddy holds his hands in front of him like Tommy is a feral animal. "What about talking to somebody else? Mrs K or David—"

"I don't need a shrink and I hang out with David because he doesn't pester me with this kind of bullshit." He's trapped, he's trapped, he has to get out. "He doesn't fucking kidnap me."

"Kidnap?" Billy's voice goes high and indignant. "Tommy, I just want you to _talk_ to me. I'm worried about you. We're all worried about you. You keep refusing to talk to me so what choice do I have when you're acting all crazy?"

"You're one to talk about crazy. You're the one who takes after Scarlet Witch." The twin looks of horror on Billy and Teddy's faces are gleefully satisfying. He _should_ be horrified—he's the one who has all this power, this picture perfect suburban life with his alien space prince boyfriend, and almost threw it all away because he couldn't handle it when shit got real.

" **Stop**!" Billy shouts, his voice cracking halfway through. Tommy can't move, can barely breathe. The air is choked with power; the whole room smells like ozone. He's powerless. This blubbering crybaby has him outclassed. He hears the echo of his father's voice: _pathetic_.

"How could you say that? Not just to me, but about Wanda?" There are tears in Billy's eyes.

Tommy's body can't move but his heart can, pounding against the cage of his ribs as he tries to twitch but can't.

"Billy, maybe going all demiurge is the wrong tactic." Teddy puts an arm around Billy's shoulder like he isn't the one keeping Tommy fucking prisoner. "Tommy doesn't want to talk right now and you can't—shouldn't make him. Both of you need time to cool off."

Billy starts to shake, tears streaming down his face. "Teddy, he—"

"I know, I know," Teddy soothes with soft touches and soft noises like Billy isn't holding Tommy hostage four feet away, like it's all Tommy's fault. "It'll be ok. You'll fix it."

"I can't fix anything." Billy is getting snot all over Teddy's shirt as he continues to cry. "Loki shouldn't have stopped me. You should've let me—"

"No," Teddy throws the word down like a hammer. "Don't say that. It's not true. The world needs you. _I_ need you."

Tommy stops struggling as the realization hits him. He remembers the last time that kind of talk happened, remembers the little hints he'd ignored. He wants to scream or puke but can't because he's frozen in place.

Billy tried to kill himself.

He tried to kill himself and of all the fucking people, _Loki_ was the one to stop it. Tommy was kidnapped and Billy almost ditched him permanently. So much for brotherhood. He's all talk just like everybody else, fancy idealistic words with no follow-through. Tommy isn't somebody worth staying for, he isn't part of the consideration at all.

Something in his brain clicks. Ideas shift and balloon with realization but he can't grasp it, he can't see what it is other than it has to do with demiurge. A little more information and he's sure he'll have hold of it but his mind does nothing but echo the same words.

 _Billy tried to kill himself_ and Tommy wasn't there. Why did it happen? Why was this time worse than when they lost teammates?

He needs to get the fuck out of here. He needs to talk to David. He needs a fucking drink. He can't beat magic, his speed is useless. But he can beat people—he's an expert at pushing Billy's buttons.

"ET E GO!" Tommy manages to force through his teeth.

Billy startles in Teddy's arms. There's a flash of blue and Tommy has control of his limbs again, collapsing onto the floor. He tries to vibrate through it but that barrier is still there. He's on his feet moving as fast as he can, grabbing hold of his bargaining chips. A limited something-or-other Captain America figurine and some comic that Billy spent months searching for.

"Let me out of here or I break them." Not like Billy won't be able to magic them better but he's too emotional to think of that right now. Tommy is powerful in this moment, powerful enough to hurt his brother who can do anything. It feels amazing.

"Jesus, Tommy," Teddy says like he's disappointed.

"What is wrong with you?" Billy is crying again, red-eyed. Looking like that, it's so easy to forget how powerful he is. "Why do you have to be like this? I thought you were over being team sociopath."

"Magneto is my role model, remember?" Tommy smiles as wide as he can, vibrating his foot a little to see if it phases through. He's alive, he's electric, he's finally fitting into the mold made for him and it's easy. "Cut the magic and let me go."

"Why are you—" Billy starts.

Tommy crushes the figure in a rain of plastic. There's a high-pitched wail and the barrier finally, _finally_ gives. Tommy is out of the building in less than a second. He holds onto the memory of being trapped, of feeling that overwhelming power and not the splotchy tear-streaked look Billy had given him.

* * *

David checks his phone again. Shit, this is bad. He should've insisted on being the one to take Tommy home, he should've emphasized what a bad idea it was for Billy to magic Tommy away.

His phone starts ringing. He's unlocked it and put it to his ear before the first ring completes. Calling instead of texting means it got ugly. "What's the damage?"

"Bad." Teddy's voice shakes a little. "God! Tommy was—I've never seen him like that. He said such horrible things."

There's a second set of breathing, fainter, clotted and wet. Billy must be crying into Teddy's chest. "Is he gone?"

"Yeah. He bolted as soon as the magic was down. He broke—"

David doesn't have long before Tommy gets here. If he's caught talking with Billy or Teddy it'll be seen as conspiring against Tommy. He interrupts, "Tommy doesn't like feeling trapped. Look, I'll talk with him but please, please don't contact him for a few days. He needs space and any attempts by you or Billy to contact him will make it worse. Trust me."

"We do." Teddy sighs.

As nice as it is to hear those words, David wishes the circumstances were different. "I'll talk with you later, tell you what I can." Bridging the gap between brothers will prove a delicate balance of giving Billy enough information to go on without betraying Tommy's trust.

"Thank you. I hope you can talk some sense into him."

If David's suspicions are right, talking sense isn't the issue at all. He hangs up and goes to change out of his clubbing clothes and into pajamas. Might as well wear comfortable clothes in an uncomfortable situation. He leaves his bedroom and isn't surprised when he hears the clink of glassware coming from the kitchen.

Tommy's lined up six bottles of various varieties of vodka and two shot glasses. Several of the bottles are already missing liquid but David suspects some of them were pilfered from somebody Tommy deemed deserving of petty theft. Tommy's deep resentment of the rich sparks occasional kleptomania.

"Your little sister drive you crazy?" Tommy pours a shot of Krupnik and hands it to David.

Refusing or discouraging the drinking would only make Tommy belligerent and feel judged. He's sober enough David knows it didn't leave his system naturally and this is his petty revenge on Billy. Alcohol makes people impulsive and impulsive can mean honest. A hangover is worth getting to the bottom of whatever's eating Tommy and he's more likely to listen if David participates. David downs the shot. "Sometimes. She can be nosy and likes jumping to conclusions about my life."

Tommy snorts.

"But mostly, no. She thought it was awesome I'm a mutant. I met enough kids at the school who weren't that lucky. Even when her excitement got annoying, I knew it was a nice problem to have."

Tommy doesn't say anything. David grabs the bottle of Żubrówka and heads over to the couch. Tommy follows, claiming his own bottle. Neither of them bother bringing the shot glasses.

David takes a few small sips, watching his friend. Tommy's fingers are a little blurry around the bottleneck, they're trembling too fast for his eye to see properly. He'd wanted to be angry about how shitty Tommy had been acting, at the way Tommy latched onto a girl as soon as Billy arrived, but that bleeds away in light of whatever knotted tangle Tommy is slowly unspooling.

"Fucking family. I'd thought I was done with all of this shit back in juvie then I got roped into the biggest fucking family drama the world knows." Tommy takes two long pulls of vodka. "The whole universe revolves around Billy." He looks up at David, pale eyes daring him to lie. "What's a demiurge? And don't give me the shit I can find on Google."

David feels the weight of this conversation pulling at him. He has to get this right. "We don't know everything but we have an idea. Billy is important to the future of magic, vitally important. One day he's going to rewrite the rules and those changes will echo throughout space and time."

"Fuck." Tommy's definitely shaking as he puts the bottle to his lips. "That's why Mother came? Because she wanted his power?"

"Partially. Loki manipulated Billy into—"

"Just fucking tell me what it is. Everyone else knows but me."

"He convinced Billy to try to bring back an alternate universe's version of Teddy's mother. What he got instead was an interdimensional parasite with her face who could corrupt parents to do her bidding."

"That's what Mother was? That stupid fucking idiot." Tommy snarls. "He didn't—" Tommy drinks. "He wasn't—" Tommy drinks again. "He only got off his ass because he fucked up. Then he got so caught up in his fuck-up he was gonna to leave it for everyone else to clean up."

David drinks, wincing at the burn but not past caring at this point. "We didn't know at first Loki had manipulated him. Billy thought it was entirely his fault and felt guilty."

"Self-centered drama queen."

"Tommy—" The look on Tommy's face is almost exactly what Billy's had been when he'd considered suicide a solution for Mother. He's glad Billy bought the lie Loki fed him and believed it wouldn't work. If that came up when Tommy and Billy were arguing the siblings must've reached a new low. This will take a long time to repair.

"The imposter Patriot. You said it was working with Mother because it's supposed to make things happen like they should. You're talking about the demiurge shit."

"I suspect that someone—" David's voice stumbles. He clears his throat, stares at where his hands grips the bottle. "Someone gives up their existence for the sake of ensuring things happen like they need to for the greater good. Billy must become the demiurge."

Tommy is leaning over his bottle of vodka, grabbing David's face with a rough hand on his jaw. He stares into David's eyes with a wild ferocity. "You think it's you."

"There's not enough data—"

Tommy's voice is full of quiet fury. "You think it's _you_." His fingers press in so hard they hurt. "Billy's going to be so powerful he can accidentally destroy the universe, so powerful everybody wants a piece of him. He got me kidnapped so I lost months of my life and he's going to erase you and turn you into that _thing_." His fingers tremble against David's skin.

David can't call any of it a lie even if the intent is misconstrued. "It's not that simple."

"Sure it is. Everything revolves around Billy and nobody gets any say about it. He's got a destiny and everyone else has to follow along. He's so busy thinking about himself he doesn't think about how he affects everyone else." Tommy tips back the bottle and starts to chug. He resists David trying to take away the bottle but eventually he's too drunk or too tired to keep pulling away.

Tommy slumps into David's shoulder, still shaking and shirt wet where the vodka spilled. He pulls at David's shirt. "He gets everything. He always gets everything and I get, I get—"

David puts his arm around Tommy and gets no protest. He swallows around the lump in his throat, quells how unsettled he is. "I'd never become something like Patrinot without an exit strategy. I'll find a way."

Tommy pushes his face into David's shoulder. "Fuck," he says as he takes handfuls of David's shirt, the fabric creaking with the strain before his grip loosens. He looks as exhausted as David feels. "Fuck."

David feels Tommy start to go slack with sleep. "Fuck," he agrees.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, I can't believe I finally made it. It took me over a year from first idea to this draft with many unused words along the way. I almost abandoned or cut down this story so many times but now I'm posting the last chapter. This wouldn't have been possible without the tireless Tartan and dedicated Dust helping me along the way and all the amazing, awesome people who left comments and kudos. I never would've finished this without you all. Thank you for sticking with me the whole ride and sorry to keep you waiting so long. I hope you enjoy the ending.
> 
> There will be a porny plotless epilogue (I can't resist) but this is it for the main story.

**_Taking steps is easy_ **  
**_Standing still is hard_ **  


David wakes up warm with an ache in his shoulder and his mouth tasting like something rotted in it. He shifts and realizes through the haze of exhaustion that the lump in his arms is a very familiar collection of bony ribs and lissom limbs. He freezes, unsure how or when they moved to the bed, when their clothes came off, or how Tommy will react. Between this and what happened last night the chances of Tommy vanishing are extremely high.

David feels more than sees Tommy coming awake, the shift in his breathing and the aborted stretch of limbs as he realizes the same things David did. The increased movement of his diaphragm causes David's fingers to brush the trail of hair on his belly.

"I don't know when we moved," David says to get the awkward over with. He wishes their first time sleeping together in the literal sense didn't come with so much baggage so they could enjoy the moment.

Tommy rolls away until he's on his other side facing David, still close enough David's hand hasn't fallen off his body. Tommy has especially epic bedhead and faint creases on his skin where the sheet bunched under his arm. He's smiling the too-wide smile that means he's hiding discomfort. "Who cares? It makes this easier," Tommy says as he pushes forward for a kiss.

David covers his mouth, shaking his head. "I need to brush my teeth." It's an excuse—a poor one at that—and David hates it as soon as it's out of his mouth. He's never resorted to excuses before.

Tommy isn't buying it either. "Why, so my dick can taste minty-fresh when you suck it off?"

"Yeah, that __really__ makes me want to fellate you."

Tommy wheezes with exaggerated laughter. "Who the fuck even says shit like 'fellate?'"

Lalochezia already. Tommy is still reeling from last night. "It's a perfectly valid term."

"Yeah, for _Law and Order_. If you say coitus I'm calling you Sheldon."

David never told Tommy of the coworkers calling him "Black Sheldon" so he has no way of knowing it's an especially painful dig, but it's hard to curb the anger and hurt on top of Tommy gearing up to ignore all problems in favor of sex. _Again_. "Last night isn't something you can ignore."

Tommy's expression closes. "I don't want to talk about it."

"There's no avoiding it, not when most of the team was there." Not when the fallout was this bad. "Will you at least tell me what happened?"

"Don't you already know?" Tommy's words are clipped and expression mocking. "Why bother asking me?"

"Because despite your confidence in my abilities, I'm not psychic and I'd prefer to hear it in your words rather than rely on somebody else's or my best guess."

Tommy snorts but does relax. "Fine, we'll talk. _Later_. It's too early for anything serious. And," he pulls in closer, the sheets whispering with the movement until skin brushes skin. "We're close to something way more fun."

His eyes are startlingly blue when they meet David's, and he starts to warm up to the idea. Something right amid all the piling up wrong. Tommy dips his head to trail open-mouthed kisses over David's collarbone, idly thumbing a nipple. Tommy rolls over onto his back, pulling David on top of him. David settles on his hands and knees over Tommy, shoving the sheet down for more freedom of movement. Tommy pushes David's head down his body without further preamble. He's aggressive and eager—he's in the mood for face-fucking rough enough David would have a raw throat the rest of the day. The idea of adding come on top of the bad taste in his mouth gives him pause even though he knows Tommy will return the favor by vibrating his fingers against David's prostate until he comes.

David kisses Tommy's stomach in apology before rising up out of Tommy's guidance and shaking his head. "Not feeling it."

"Oh, come on!" Tommy is almost whining. "Can't we—"

"Really can't. Last night has to be handled somehow and no distraction will suffice."

Tommy pulls away, angry.

"I can help with Billy, get him to lay off. Maybe help him understand where you're coming from—"

"Thanks, but I'm not up for talking about feelings with anyone." Tommy throws off the covers and gets out of bed. In a couple seconds he's fully dressed. "I'll never understand him. What the fuck does he have to be sad about all the time? He has _everything._ "

David could say 'power is its own kind of burden' or 'he's scared of losing what he has' or 'he feels like he doesn't deserve it.' He settles on, "Depression doesn't make sense. It's pervasive. That's why it's depression and not being sad."

Tommy gives a dismissive snort. He wasn't going to listen no matter what David said. "Whatever. I need time away from all the bullshit. Later."

And with that, he's gone.

David tries to stay positive that Tommy said what he was doing first, that he said _later_ and not _bye._ It's not like he didn't see this coming. He goes through his morning routine and throws himself into decoding more of the Watcher's information. He's barely able to focus, everything rendered futile in the light of how useless he is to help. It only gets worse once the texts start coming in. America is first.

→How bad was their fight?

←Very. Going to be playing peacemaker for awhile.

→Let me know if you need heads knocked together

←Thanks

In the middle of making brunch he gets a text from Teddy.

→Any luck with Tommy?

Saying he ran off would make Teddy worried and possibly lead Billy to try to track him down. David accepts that he'll have to obfuscate the truth even harder for awhile.

←Working on it. It'll take time. Billy ok?

→Pancakes and _Lost Girl_ marathon helped.

Sounds like everyone is on high alert for a relapse into catatonia. They have the situation well in hand. David texts back reassurances, wishing he felt as confident as his words.

Tommy doesn't come back that day, not even for the bacon mac and cheese David made. Disappointing but not surprising.

David tells himself Tommy will be back tomorrow until he falls asleep.

Tommy doesn't show up the next day either. David considers trying to look for him, maybe putting sex back on the table as incentive to come back. He dismisses the ideas the moment he thinks of them—Tommy can easily outrun him and using sex as a manipulation tactic is low. Impatience is no excuse for bad decisions. He has to give Tommy time to process. No need for drastic measures, not yet. He thinks over what to say to Billy, how to get Tommy to talk when he's back. By the end of the day he's thought himself in circles so many times that the idea of dragging himself to work tomorrow fills him with a frustration he hasn't felt since the call center job.

David stares at the ceiling that night, wondering if admitting Tommy may be right about his job would encourage him to come back.

He sighs into the dark, hating how his mind keeps scrabbling and how his chest can't stop _aching_. How far will he let this go? Will it turn into Orpheus and Eurydice, desperate measures and blind faith carrying him into hell and back on the chance of keeping Tommy?

The truth is there, sharp and bright and piercing.

He's in love with Tommy. Not a sex-laced or superficial crush but something bone-deep and frightening in its intensity. He's already gone so far for Tommy; does he have a limit? Is he doomed to disappointment? What if the future he suspects isn't about Billy but Tommy? The possibility that he gives up everything he is for Tommy's sake is far more alarming than if he gives it up for the greater good.

Sleep is a long time coming. The bed is wide and cold, the lacuna of Tommy almost physical.

When his alarm goes off in the morning David feels like his eyes closed mere minutes ago. He spends five minutes lying in bed contemplating calling in sick before he hauls himself up with leaden limbs and goes through the motions of getting ready. On the train David ends up stuck between a man with painfully pungent cologne and a man carrying a baby with a soiled diaper, a noxious combination that leaves him with a headache.

 _Once my shift is over I can do something about Tommy_ , David resolves. _It's only eight hours. Mondays are always awful._ He repeats it like a mantra all the way to work.

Coworkers' conversations die as he passes, bursting into hissed whispers as soon as he's out of earshot. Great, his sexuality is still prime scuttlebutt. Being so close-lipped about his personal life left them all slathering for details and now that they have something they're reveling in it as long as they can.

David thinks of the pranks Tommy would do as revenge, how he'd suggest they fuck in one of the bathrooms to _really_ give them something to talk about, and feels better. It's only a matter of time until some new office drama crops up and David will be old news. He's glad there's no way they could know about the blowup between Billy and Tommy.

The moment of positivity evaporates when he sees that one of Chad's favorites has, yet again, been allowed to go on vacation without prior notice. Which leaves David stuck in the office covering the workload.

Maggie gives him a sympathetic smile when she passes by during lunch. "You've been doing desk duty so much lately."

"I shouldn't be doing it in the first place. It's not my job." None of Chad's cohorts ever do the work they're required to; they achieve the bare minimum while the bulk of their responsibilities are shifted to less favored employees. That's the way it's been since day one. David's been making excuses to himself, not willing to acknowledge how bad it is despite the frustration and high turnover. He hasn't been helping anyone, hasn't been accomplishing anything but covering other people's asses at Chad's behest. "I'm going to talk to Chad."

"David—"

He shakes his head. "Enough is enough."

Right on time is Chad's booming greeting of, "HELLO, MINIONS!" It might've been mildly amusing the first time but the daily repetition and Chad's conviction of his own hilarity have made it increasingly grating. As David approaches him Chad laughs more uproariously, smiles wider at his crowd of sycophants that all turn to stare at David when he interrupts.

"I need to speak with you. In your office, please."

"Of course," Chad says with oily smoothness. "I always value your unique perspective, David."

A polite way of calling David strange and an outsider, preemptive dismissal. The sly smiles among Chad's circle of groupies tell the same story, that David is a too-sensitive troublemaker and whatever he wants to talk about is unworthy of the boss's time.

"It's easy to be unique in this environment," David replies with a nod at the group of white men surrounding him. He heads to Chad's office and carefully compartmentalizes the anger bubbling inside him. He can feel the stares on his back.

Chad's desk is a massive modern overcompensating affair with a chair to match. He sits and places his elbows on the desk, leaning forward with a facsimile of approachability. "What can I do for you, David?"

"Stop tasking me with other people's duties. I haven't been out on a call in weeks."

"David," Chad cajoles. Whatever management class he went to emphasized using people's names frequently for the semblance of familiarity and empathy. "You're by far the most efficient and hard-working team member we have. Your success rate and average closure time make you the best in the department, hands down. David, your efficiency is the envy of everyone and I'd be a fool to let your talents go to waste."

"You are wasting it. My success rate means little if I don't have a chance to go out on cases and my efficiency at completing somebody else's work doesn't make that work any more my responsibility, nor does it excuse how you repeatedly give it to me. You're aware of how excellent my memory is. I can quote statistics if you like."

"No need to be hostile, David."

"This is the sixth time I've been assigned office duties and the thirty-sixth I've been handed other people's duties in addition to my own work. That is triple what anyone else in my position has received." David glares at him. "Would you like charts to illustrate my point?"

Chad's fake sympathy turns to concern troll. "You've been stressed lately. Perhaps you need some time off. I'd hate to think trouble at home is affecting—"

" _Excuse me_?" David's words cut through the air, anger leaking out. "My personal life is none of your business."

"Of course, David, but I'm _concerned—_ "

Tommy was right. This place is a toxic shithole and he's been deluding himself to think he was really helping people here. He wanted it to be better so badly he was ignoring the problems. "Then I'll relieve you of that concern. I quit."

Chad puts up placating hands. "Now David, don't be hasty. Your—"

"This is my two weeks' notice. And, seeing as I have a week of PTO and know from others in the office I don't need to tell you ahead of time, I'm taking it next week. Now, I need to go home. I find myself quite nauseated. I must be coming down with something. As you said, I've been very stressed lately. I'll be sick all week, I suspect. So sick," David with all the icy chill of Emma Frost, "I'll skip complaining to HR about discrimination."

"I hate to see you go," Chad says as he extends a hand to David with a smile sleazy enough David feels like he's lost. "I'm sure you'll find somewhere better suited."

"I'm sure I will." The tiny part of him that's disappointed he didn't fight harder for acceptance and change is overwhelmed by relief. He's smiling as he leaves the office, collects the few personal items from his desk, and says goodbye to Maggie and a couple other people.

"You take care," Maggie commands as she hugs him.

"Same to you." He'll accept a too-familiar hug this once. Despite his lingering anger at her, she was one of the few that liked and respected him. She has a hard road ahead. "Don't let them confine you to the office."

"Don't worry about old me. Get out of here!" She shoos him away.

He leaves the office feeling light, full of possibilities. Maybe it was a stupid, rash decision but it's one less thing to worry about. Now he can concentrate on fixing things with the team, on decoding all the Watcher's information and using that to help people. He can start right now—the day isn't even half done. David pulls out his phone and texts Teddy. Tommy and Billy may not be up for talking but Teddy will. No more sitting around waiting—it's time to make some headway.

←Have free time today. Want to discuss the sibling situation?

→Sure. I need out of the house. Want to get coffee?

David picks one of the busier establishments to ensure their meeting won't be too intimate or awkward. This is the first time they'll be alone together since the kiss and the last thing he needs is to reawaken that history. It'll be awkward enough as it is. Too bad David can't openly commiserate at being the steadier half of a moody twin.

With that thought the second-guessing and doubt catches up with him. He's made a real mess of his life. Instead of jubilant, David feels tired.

*******

By the time David gets to the coffee shop, Teddy has ensconced himself in a corner. Luckily, the line at the counter is short and David heads over to him a couple minutes later.

"I'm surprised you're free so early." Teddy says with a strained smile. "But not complaining. Billy needed a break from staying strong in front of me and I needed to do something that felt—"

"Useful,” David finishes for him. "I know how you feel. I'm out of work so early because I quit—"

Teddy's eyes widen. "Oh my god—"

"No, it's a good thing," he says half to Teddy, half to himself. "I wasn't useful there. It was a dead end, frustrating job that wasn't worth my time. This was a long time coming and I have more important things on my mind right now."

Teddy's grip tightens on his cup. Before he can ask after Tommy, David beats him to the punch.

"How's Billy?" He adds a second later, careful to keep the same tone, "And how are you?"

"Shaken, sad, angry." Teddy looks at David beseeching answers, reassurance, anything. "He barely slept. I'm holding it together because Billy needs me but I feel just as lost. He's talking with his mom right now."

"Will he talk with Wanda as well?" Her involvement would complicate the situation significantly, make Tommy feel persecuted.

"Not right away. He's ashamed to admit how much they don't get along. He doesn't want to disappoint her." Teddy clearly blames himself for some of it too. Always the peacemaker.

David wishes he could have a conversation with Wanda. He could use a better understanding of her feelings for her sons. But right now he has too much on his plate to even consider it. Yet another thing to pursue down the road. "He hopes to make headway resolving the situation first."

"Exactly." Teddy frowns. "Right now he has no clue what made Tommy lash out like that. I have a few ideas but—"

"That's why I'm here," David soothes. "I'll help you sort through what you already know."

His face lights up with realization. "Because if you told me outright—"

"I'd reveal too much information and invade Tommy's privacy, compromise the trust of our friendship. The burden of knowing everything," David's mouth quirks up in a wry smile. Not so long ago the respect in Teddy's face would've sent his stomach into butterflies. Now there's only the warm ebb of comradery bolstering his confidence at treading the line between holding the team together and keeping all their secrets safe. Everything he says to Teddy will be relayed to Billy—that's the entire point—but he has to be careful how his words will change in translation. The more he sticks to what Teddy already knows, the better. "Tell me how you see the situation. Don't worry about putting your thoughts in order unless you want to—I'll understand you either way."

Teddy nods, the corners of his mouth flickering up before they curve down in concentration. "What's going on with Tommy isn't new, I know. He hasn't been quite right since New Year's. Sometimes it seemed like he was getting better but then it'd be more avoidance and silence. Even when he was talking to us he felt distant. Strange."

"How significant was that change? What was he like before?"

"Well, he was—" Teddy's brows furrow. David sips his iced coffee, watching Teddy's frown deepen as he combs over his memories. "He's always been standoffish. That's just who he is." Teddy glances at him. "Their personalities never meshed well."

David nods but doesn't interrupt.

Teddy continues, "When we were all a team there was progress, but then the worst happened. Billy was trapped in his depression. Tommy tried at first but he left after a couple months. They didn't talk much after that. How they are now is more noticeable because Billy is reaching out."

They both sip their coffees as Teddy mulls over the shift in perspective. When Teddy's focus is back on him David asks the next question. "What do you know of Tommy's biological family?"

"Not much beyond what Jonas said in the beginning. He rarely mentions them and the only positive things he's ever said were sarcastic. I don't think he's contacted them since he got out. Even if he did he wouldn't tell us." Teddy gives a helpless shrug. "I assume they weren't good parents."

Understatement of the year. But he's not about to tell Teddy the gory details. Teddy will start putting it together himself as he keeps it in the back of his mind. "A bad home environment can have long-lasting repercussions. How do you think it's affected Tommy and his expectations of family?"

"He denied he was related to Billy for a long time. He wasn't interested even when it was proven true. Billy was the one determined to find Wanda; he tagged along." Teddy shifts in his seat. "And everything that happened after was a mess."

"Tommy's related to very famous, controversial, powerful people with long histories. He's bound to them by association whether he wants to or not." The whole family is a hotbed of controversy.

Teddy sips his cooling coffee. "I never thought of it that way. I knew all that but it never—"

David waves away his words. "That's why I'm here. To sharpen what you already know into a clearer picture." They're making good progress. Can't let Teddy get distracted now. "What about the Kaplans?"

"He's always been awkward around them. I was too, at first."

"But you don't have his history."

"Right," Teddy says, his eyes going distant as he thinks. "It's a big family with everyone there, crowded. Tommy didn't like sharing a room. He got along with Billy's brothers by acting like they did, a big kid who'd join in their mischief. He was never with them by choice. When Mrs K asked him to babysit he'd get angry."

"His background, and juvie," David prompts.

"He'd get angry whenever they gave him anything no matter how small. Say he didn't need handouts. He hated eating dinner as a family, scoffed at the idea of table manners. One time Mr K caught him eating before dinner and yelled at him. That was the first time he disappeared for a few days. He vanished almost every day but that was the first time he stayed away overnight."

Teddy should give himself more credit. His empathy clued him into a lot of Tommy's issues even if he never explicitly tried to dissect them. "What else?"

Teddy drums his fingers on the table as he thinks. "I know he doesn't like psychologists. Juvie must've made him distrust them so he avoided Mrs K after he found out what she did for a living. He doesn't trust her. Doesn't trust anyone."

"If bad things happen long enough, people expect it to continue." A trait Tommy shares with Billy, though it manifests very differently.

"If something goes right they expect it to fail." Teddy nods. "The Kaplans are so nice Tommy doesn't know how to react to them."

Not all of it but enough to work with. "Taking all that into account, consider how little time Tommy had to react to Mother and the resulting fallout. How little he knew about what was going on."

"He didn't ask." Teddy sips his coffee and realizes he's already finished it. He puts the cup down and interlaces his fingers instead.

"And we didn't tell him. You all assumed he didn't want to know and I went along with it despite my misgivings. We're all at fault. He lost months of his life with little explanation and came back to a very different situation."

"I know, but that doesn't excuse what he said to Billy." Teddy almost sounds angry.

David keeps his voice soothing and gestures with open hands. "Tell me what happened."

Teddy's eyes widen. "Don't you—"

"Every side has a bias. Hearing more than one account gives a clearer picture." All true and all implying he's already heard Tommy's side of the story. "Talk it over with me and think about his background as you do."

"Billy sobered him up then brought him into his bedroom. He wanted to talk with Tommy but knew he'd run at the first chance he had, so he sealed off the room. Dampened the sound so his parents wouldn't hear them yelling. He's been practicing that a lot—" Teddy cuts himself off, ears reddening.

David pretends not to notice the implications. He tries to keep calm but the anger seeps into his voice. "So Billy trapped him in hopes that'd make him talk."

"It's not—" Teddy falls silent. "He didn't mean—"

David intensifies his glare.

He sighs. "You're right, it wasn't a good idea. But that doesn't excuse what Tommy did."

"What did he do?" David arches an eyebrow.

"He called Billy crazy, said Wanda was too. Then he destroyed Billy's things to get him to drop the barrier. He was—" Teddy closes his eyes, sucks in a slow breath. "He was _smiling_. Like seeing Billy cry didn't touch him at all. He talked about Magneto being his role model and he _looked_ the part." Teddy's eyes are big, blue pools of shame. "I was scared of him."

He's surprised Teddy is willing to admit it. Teddy trusts him. "I'm not saying what he did was okay, but think about what it means to lose control of your life with nobody to support you."

"I know, I know! But he was too cruel. All Billy wants is to _help_ him and he resents it!"

"Good intentions don't make Billy's actions unimpeachable or give him the right to do whatever he thinks is best regardless of Tommy's wishes. You needed time to handle everything with Mother and Billy—we learned about what was going on with Billy over months. Tommy's working through the same things right now with less lead up, alone, on top of his interpersonal issues. It's hard on him."

Teddy looks like he wants to argue but deflates. Wide fingers run through blond hair. "This is such a mess."

David half-laughs. "You're telling me. I have advantages on understanding people and I still don't know everything about Tommy. But you've got something to work with now. If Billy adjusts his approach, Tommy will open up."

Teddy looks up through his bangs. "You really think so?"

"I know. When I don't want to throttle him we get along better than I ever expected." He certainly hadn't expected lunch and coffee with a coworker would drastically alter his life. Somewhere along the line Tommy's brash friendliness turned from annoying to charming.

That gets a smile. "I'm glad you do. He needs to open up to somebody."

David decides letting a little more information out is worth it. As long as he's vague he won't give anything away. "As frustrating as Tommy is he pulls through when it matters. Remember the car crash we dealt with a few weeks ago?"

That's thrown him for a loop. "Yeah."

"It brought back some bad memories for me, caught me off guard. I was a mess by the time I got home. Tommy came over. We didn't talk much but it was enough to help."

Teddy is frowning like he's trying to remember something. He does, eyes widening for a moment before he frowns again. "He was with you that evening? How long?"

He's looking for something, but what? Best to stick close to the truth. "Until I fell asleep. Not sure what time exactly, it's a bit of a blur. He might've stayed the night." All vague, all true, all innocuous.

Teddy seems surprised, more so than the situation warrants. "I didn't realize you were so close."

"As close as he gets to anyone," David dismisses. Maybe he overplayed it. "We get along and enjoy each other's company most of the time. I like having some unpredictability in my life." His phone buzzes. Tommy finally texted back

→Let's get this over with. I'm coming home.

 _Home._ David can't help but smile a little at that. "Speak of the devil; I need to go talk with him. I'm sure we can get him and Billy talking again by the end of the week."

"Thank you for doing so much for him. You—" Teddy hesitates. "You care about him."

Dangerous words. "Meeting him was the best thing that's happened to me in a long time, the awful situation aside. I wouldn't be on this team without him." There, sidestepped.

Teddy pulls out his phone, texting furiously. David takes that as his cue to leave.

*******

Tommy doesn't remember where he heard the phrase 'the sun is always rising somewhere' but it's been stuck in his head for years. With his powers, he knows the truth of the phrase. If he wants a sunset all he has to do is run until he finds it. He's seen so many the novelty has long worn off but he watches anyway to try to recapture what he used to feel, the calmness of watching the light vanish over the horizon and blue-purple-black bleed in. It's the only trick he has left to calm the buzzing of his mind.

He tried interacting with people the rest of Sunday into Monday—checked up on some of his infrequent contacts, tried three different clubs—but none of it distracted him. He can't stop thinking about waking up with David, how _good_ it felt and how much he wanted to do it again. He can't stop thinking about Billy either, stabs of rage and hurt that make his chest seize up and his breath come too fast.

Either David did something to convince Billy to leave him alone or his brother's still pissing his pants after Tommy forced his way out. Maybe he's watching right now, using his powers to creep from afar. Tommy can run all he wants but he'll never be out of Billy's reach.

Can David really do anything? He isn't questioning David's support, only his ability to handle the situation. Tommy chest tightens and stomach churns that he's _expecting_ David to be there for him. When did he go soft like that, assuming somebody will help him? Is all the sex going to his head, making him buy into all the mushy shit? There's a limit to loyalty. Trusting people is fucking stupid.

Even if he does make nice with Billy, will it be because they really understand each other or because Billy wanted it to happen? Billy doesn't have to change at all, just make Tommy think he did. Does David want to be around him because Billy wills it? Maybe Tommy going gay for David is Billy's solution for the Teddy situation, an idle thought that turned into reality.

Tommy feels like he's falling, like the world gave out beneath him and a red glove is reaching for him—

He runs. He can't run away, there's nowhere to run to, so the only way to go is back. If anyone can find a way out of this fucked up situation it'd be David. They can face down Billy together. Maybe there's some small chance at making a difference if they do.

He texts David without thinking and it's only after he hits _send_ he realizes what he sent.

←Let's get this over with. I'm coming home.

Tommy can't remember the last time he called anywhere home. It's been a word for other people, idiots like Billy who leave themselves wide open for hurt. Tommy is fucking pathetic to bury himself in stolen warmth and delusions. He misses David like an ache and that makes him want to puke in anger. He wants to fuck until he doesn't feel anymore and that at least isn't stupid. He'll make it through the bullshit feelings talk and then he can fuck David's brains out, lose himself in the high of orgasm and the stink of sex and forget about his dumbass demiurge of a brother.

Tommy pulls out his phone when it buzzes with a text alert in case David is in the middle of something.

→On my way, won't be long. Was talking with Teddy

Tommy's surprise almost stops him in his tracks—a massive pain in the ass when he's running on water and needs to keep momentum to stay on top. If he falls in it's almost impossible to get up to speed for running again. Luckily he doesn't sink more than a couple inches before catching himself. Tommy replies as soon as he's stabilized, anger making it hard to hit the right buttons

←Hve fun discusing wh at a fuckup I am?

→Nothing like that. I'll tell you everything once you're here.

Tommy looks at the hour and wonders when David had time to talk to Teddy. He's normally at work right now. In that eerily almost psychic way of his, David sends another text.

→I quit my job.

Tommy is glad he's on land now so he can speed up. He finds David on the sidewalk about a mile from their place. Tommy scoops him up and carries him the rest of the way into their apartment.

As soon as he's on his feet David covers his mouth, looking ill.

No time for nausea. "What the fuck?"

"I could say the same to you," David says in staggered chunks of words, hand still covering his mouth. He takes long, slow breaths and closes his eyes before he straightens up and looks more normal. "Phasing is _unpleasant_."

"Never mind that, you quit your job and talked with Teddy? What happened?"

"They aren't directly related. I quit my job because you were right—it was awful and not worth my time. I was defensive because I didn't want to admit the truth. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

That wasn't what he expected. Tommy feels heat creep over his face, exultation and embarrassment mixing together. "About time you admitted it. What about Teddy?"

"I had the free time and knew he was the best chance at getting Billy to see where you're coming from. With some insight and empathy the communication gap between you _is_ breachable. I didn't tell him anything he doesn't already know—I helped him restructure old information. Billy's more likely to listen coming from him. And I think it's past time you heard about the things you missed so you have a better understanding of what happened."

All of that makes perfect, logical sense. It's very David. But he still feels jittery and wrong, like hearing the details will fundamentally change something, make him _lose_ something. Tommy nods instead of trying to speak.

"We were all rattled when we found out more about Billy being the demiurge. Loki pointed out to Teddy there was a chance Billy invented him and the idea stuck. And I—" David looks away, ashamed. "I was nursing a crush on Teddy that'd been growing worse every day we traveled the multiverse. Being around him and Billy, seeing them together, it made me jealous. At one point we got separated from the others. Mother was closing in, I thought I might die so I did something monumentally stupid."

"You kissed him."

David nods, unsurprised that Tommy already knows. "He was understandably shocked. I apologized, and we talked a little. He said they were a mess. I knew he doubted everything because of Loki's suggestion so I proposed he get some space to think. Once we were out of danger and reunited with the others, he left Billy—and us—and was captured by Mother as a result. I'm surprised Billy isn't more resentful of the role I played."

 _He threatened to erase you from existence,_ Tommy wants to say it but the words are too heavy.

"Now that I have more perspective I know Teddy was right—I was idealizing their relationship and listening to the jealousy I felt at their intimacy. It wasn't about Teddy at all." David looks at him, face open and Tommy knows whatever he says next will shatter their status quo.

Their phones both beep with text alerts. Tommy leaps at the distraction.

It's from Teddy.

→Looks like congratulations are in order. I'm happy for you both.

A second message arrives from Billy. A third, a fourth. Numb fingers bring it up before he can make himself stop.

→SERIOUSLY u have the gall to give me shit when you've been dating David in secret all this time?

→I can't believe you

→Is this why you've been such an asshole? You could've just TOLD ME

Tommy wants to punch a wall, punch somebody, wants to vibrate until the whole block explodes. Rage fills him until his ears are ringing. He looks to David. His mouth hangs open as he stares at his phone, like he's reeling from a slap.

Tommy has it in his hands in a heartbeat. David got texts from Billy too.

→I can't believe you

→First Teddy, now Tommy?

→Who next Magneto? Wanda??

Tommy doesn't realize he's crushed his phone until he feels the shards of plastic poking his palms. The plastic of David's phone creaks with strain in his other hand. His voice is low and calm, seething menace in every syllable. "What did you say to him?"

David snaps out of his shock. "I didn't. I was careful, I didn't say anything that could've—"

"Think harder!" Tommy shouts, his words filling the room.

David doesn't flinch, doesn't falter as he calmly sets down details. "I said we spent time together, that we got along. Nothing specific except when I said you helped me after the car crash."

The car crash. There was something—

_Fuck._

That text he sent to Teddy about having sex when he hadn't had any. It's his fault. David didn't know about the text, didn't know he was as good as admitting they'd fucked by saying Tommy was there even though that was one of the few nights they didn't. "We can fix this. They're guessing, there's nothing to prove—"

David touches his wrist. He hadn't realized he was shaking. "Don't do this. It was only a matter of time until it got out. I'm tired of lying."

"We aren't lying. He doesn't know shit, he's just guessing. It's a misunder—"

"No." David's face and voice are hard. "Enough is enough. I don't want to hide this from my friends anymore. I was an idiot to ever agree to it in the first place." David holds himself tall. "What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything!" Tommy snarls. David's phone beeps again, texts from America and Noh. Fuck, Billy and Teddy must've told them. He drops the phone so he doesn't have to see what they say. "Fuck. _Fuck_! Now everyone will—"

"Think you're gay?" He's working up to a real snit. "There are plenty of sexualities you could be that involve men _and_ women. Denial doesn't make it any less true. We've fucked and you _enjoyed_ it, there's no arguing that point."

Tommy's thoughts are buzzing, crawling, scratching inside his skull. _No no no._ "It doesn't mean—"

"It means something to me!" David shouts. Quieter, he adds, "I never should've agreed to this. I can't do casual relationships, I can't have sex with somebody and not _feel_ something. I can't do this."

Tommy reels, stunned. His mind goes blank. "What?"

"I can't deal with this." David massages his forehead. He looks tired. "The hiding, the dismissiveness, the way you keep pushing me away." He closes his eyes like he's in pain. "I'm done."

The words stumble out of him with an uncertain laugh. "Are you breaking up with me?"

David laughs too, an ugly sound. "We'd have to be dating to break up."

"But—" This isn't happening. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"I want to be with you." The way David looks at him—all sincerity and determination—makes the part of him that wants to deny it shut up. "I want something real, not a shameful secret." David's voice shakes a little as he gives a self-derisive smile. "Didn't you notice by now I'm in lo—"

Tommy is out to door as fast as his feet will take him.

*******

David knew Tommy would run off. He knew but he started to say the L word anyway because he'd had a sliver of hope saying it would turn things around. What a stupendously stupid idea.

Everything hurts. David snatches his phone off the ground and dials, knowing he's being an idiot but beyond caring.

Billy hesitates a moment before speaking. "Hel—"

"How could you be so, so _puerile?_ " David snarls. "I get that you're angry with me but I thought you'd be smart enough to listen when it comes to your brother's welfare." Billy tries to cut in but David talks over him. "Congratulations, your self-righteousness has destroyed all the progress Tommy worked for. Don't malign him as the only one who's pernicious and nasty."

"David—"

"We'll talk whenever you feel like apologizing. I'll be busy cleaning up your imbroglio in the meantime." David hangs up, riding the rage while it lasts. He'll fix things with Billy later. He needed to say it, needed to stop being calm and diplomatic and vent what he's kept bottled up so long.

Not that he isn't at fault as well. He's abandoned Tommy when he needs somebody most. He hates that it was the right call, hates that it came to this. It's his fault for not resisting temptation, for settling for something he knew would never work.

As appealing as it is to mope and feel sorry for himself he has too much he needs to do. David throws himself into decoding Watcher info. If he finds something about the demiurge or the Patriot entity it might change the situation. He could use one less thing to worry about. He knows it's a distraction, that the chances of him finding anything are slim, but he'll take it over nothing.

He's not sure how long he spends glued to the computer slowly decoding information. So far he's found no great revelations, only small personal secrets David notes down for completion's sake. Maybe all those secrets will reveal a pattern if he finds enough of them. His phone ringing draws him out of the trance. His back aches from sitting so long and he's hungry; he has been for awhile and didn't notice. It's tempting to let the call go but it's Kate. No more avoiding everything.

"WHAT THE FUTZ IS GOING ON?" She bellows as soon as he picks up. "I have like two hundred texts right now. Geez, can't a girl have an epic showdown with her archenemy and handle SHIELD bullshit without her team blowing up?"

The question is rhetorical but David tries to answer. Kate bowls him over before he can get a syllable out.

"I'm driving cross-country, I don't have time for this. I know it's about Tommy, Billy, and you. What's going on and why haven't you fixed it yet?"

At least she believes he can fix it. He stands and stretches. "How many did you read?"

"A few. If you're stalling it must be really bad."

He sighs and walks to the kitchen, opening the fridge to find something quick. Nothing looks appealing. "It is. I'd put this on par with Teddy leaving the team for Texas."

"Oh, shit." After the shock fades her voice is all business. "Tell me."

David decides on cereal as it requires the least effort. "Billy and Tommy have been tense and it came to a head. Tommy got drunk and started saying things about Billy, Billy responded by using his powers to try and force them to talk it out, which didn't go over well with Tommy. Tommy destroyed some things and got nasty to break Billy's hold and get away. I was working on it when—" He takes a bracing breath. "When a secret got out and made everything worse."

"What is it?" From her tone he's sure she knows already but wants to hear him admit it.

The damage is already done—no point in not being honest. "A liaison. Tommy and I, we've been having sex. Casually. Tommy didn't want anyone to know and I was stupid enough to agree to it."

"How long?" Her voice is quiet.

"A few months. It's over now, I ended it." He manages to say it without his voice betraying him.

"Why?" No judgment, no demand.

"I can't do casual. He reacted badly to everyone finding out and I decided enough was enough. A lopsided relationship isn't worth the emotional cost."

"Hold on." It's a command. She's come to some kind of decision. The sound of her palms on the steering wheel mean she must be pulling over onto the shoulder of the highway. "Okay." She sighs, "Okay," she repeats, clearly working up to something. The engine goes silent.

"Kate, what's going—"

"Look, I need to say some things. I know it's awkward because I'm basically Tommy's ex and that's super weird but you need to listen for a minute."

"Alright." He discovers they're out of any normal cereal but still have Fruit Loops. David works hard to not think about who bought them as he dumps the brightly colored circles into a bowl and adds the last of the almond milk.

"There's no way that relationship was casual for Tommy."

David protests, "He made it very clear—"

Kate anticipated him and cuts in, "No, _listen_. I've been thinking about this, about how it was with him and Eli. I liked Eli but he was so serious about dating and wanted to do awful romancey stuff. I kept pushing him away because I knew we'd never agree. And there was Tommy, who was fun and easy and I thought, I _assumed_ he wanted the same things as me. So I used him whenever I got fed up with Eli."

His chest throbs in time with his heartbeat. "Kate—"

"I was wrong. I projected my feelings onto him and they fit so well I didn't question it. I didn't consider that he wanted something more but was hiding it because he's scared of having something to lose. I didn't look closely because I wanted to believe he's as nonchalant as he pretends he is."

David grips the phone so hard his fingers ache. "Don't—"

"I _know_ , David. I remember how he looked. He'd smile and joke about booty calls but we stopped talking, stopped hanging out entirely after the time I suggested a threesome. He was avoiding me because while I tried with Eli I never did the same for him. He wanted me to be serious. He always did and I couldn't see it. I hurt him." She's breathing hard. Both of them are silent as she collects herself. "And now you say you've been sleeping with him for _months_. Were you living together?"

It takes him a moment to spit out the word. He knows where this is going but if he refuses to answer she'll keep pushing until he does. "Yes."

"Did you see him more days of the week than not?"

"Yes."

"Jesus! That's practically _married_ for him."

He can't take this, he can't let hope blind him from reality. "Even if you're right—"

"I am!" He can feel her glare through the phone.

"Being in a relationship of false fronts isn't going to work. I need somebody who will admit what they feel, not deny it every hour of the day. I have to take care of myself no matter how badly I want him."

"You're in love with him." It sounds like an apology.

"It's awful," David almost chokes on the words. "And now I left him when he needs somebody most. That's a failure as a romantic partner and as a friend. I don't know how to fix it. I can't, if he won't change." Resuming a casual relationship would end in disaster for both of them.

"You will in time," she soothes. In a drier tone she adds, "Kicking his ass might be a good first step."

He laughs even though it isn't funny.

"Sounds like Billy might need one too. _Boys._ " As if hearing his name brings out the nerd in her, she goes into a surprisingly accurate Picard impersonation. "You've made a lot of work for me, Number One."

"I'm sorry, sir." The apology is real but the joking makes it easier to say.

"Once I'm done with this Hawkeye crisis I'll be there to help you out. It'll be okay. We're Young Avengers; we make it through in style."

Hearing it from her, he can start to believe. "Thanks, Kate."

She hums. "You're having the shittiest Monday ever."

It is still Monday. It feels like it's lasted a week. "You said it."

"It's the worst day of the week. It'll get better." She's telling herself that too.

"Yeah," he agrees for her sake.

"I need to get back to driving." Her keys jingle and the engine turns over. "I've got a long road ahead of me. Keep me posted."

"I will. It may be awhile before Tommy shows up again. He crushed his phone."

"We'll find him. If you can track us down based on our diner habits you can find one idiot speedster you know Biblically. Which I will totally tease you about at a later time."

"Drive safely," he says, hoping that time will come.

That night he works out too long, too hard. He almost vomits from exertion. But sleep takes him quickly so he counts it as a good decision despite the aches he'll have tomorrow.

*******

Tommy likes sitting on top of Trump Tower. The view is ridiculous, there's nothing on the roof but a big flat space and the antennae, and he enjoys damaging the T on the sign so it doesn't light up. It's a hell of a lot of fun to scare the shit out of a bunch of rich douchebags instead of some poor schmuck stuck in an office in one of the other skyscrapers. He's crashed in the penthouse a few times for the hell of it. He almost did that last night but didn't in case one of the others tracked him down. Last thing he needs is a lecture. Now that he's up and about somebody will hassle him for sure.

It's cold even on sunny days up here because of the wind coming off the water. Everything looks so small, the river a blue curve below and the cars barely visible. Sometimes he thinks about jumping off—not in a wanting to die kind of way but curiosity at what it'd feel like to fall so far. He could make it last ages if he kicked his brain into superspeed. Almost like flying.

The wind tugs at him harder and he lets it buffet him around a little, thinks up ways he could save himself if he did fall. What would David—

No, don't go there. He's already moping in the city where he first met David. That's bad enough. He'll find somebody else to fuck, David will finally realize that Tommy wants nothing to do with his commitment shit, and it'll be fine.

Maybe he should score some good booze from one of the rooms downstairs. Most of the time he can't taste the difference between that and the regular shit but it's always satisfying to annoy somebody with more money than Tommy will see in his lifetime. It'd be nice to black out for awhile, not feel anything, not think, not have to deal with all this shit. But he can't avoid it forever.

A red, white, and blue blur approaches. Tommy debates running for an attosecond but nixes the idea. She can keep up with him and better her than somebody else. He wonders who sent her.

"How'd you find me?" he asks in lieu of a greeting.

"Twitter," America says as she lands next to him. Instead of sitting she looms over him. Her thighs look especially epic since they're at his eye level.

"What?" Not what he was expecting. The thought of America on social media is weird.

"There are hero sighting accounts and hashtags. Only so many speedsters out there." She looks around, nodding approval at the view. "Figured you'd be in a place like this."

"Why?"

Her hair blows over her face then back behind her in the changing wind. The echo of a smile crosses her face. "I do the same thing."

"Who sent you?" he asks before he can be duped into empathy. He concentrates on the crick in his neck he's getting from having to stare up at her.

"Kate suggested I kick your ass but I'm not here for that. I'm here because I felt like coming. I'm not tangled up in this like the others." She shrugs. "I get that you want to be alone and I know better than to try comforting you."

"So why are you here?"

"To offer advice. And maybe knock some sense into you." Her knuckles crack ominously. "If you're going to continue being a pendejo."

Tommy's been around Spanish-speakers enough to have an idea of what that means. "So punching me is a bonus?"

The playfulness is gone, her wide stance and open arms exuding carefully contained power. "A last resort."

Suddenly the prospect of America punching him is unappealing. He waves a dismissive hand at her. "Fine. Advise away and get this over with."

"Admit you're scared."

Tommy is bristling, standing, snarling in her face, "I'm not—"

"You're _terrified_ of how much you care. You don't want to so you hide it as best you can, get angry when you can't control the feelings. But you can't stop it from happening no matter how hard you try."

"I know you're new and all," Tommy says with mocking detachment over the tightness in his chest, "but you must've missed the memo—"

"Cut the shit." She shoves him in the chest.

Tommy's stomach lurches remembering they're on top of a very tall building. He turns the fear into rage, getting back into her face.

She remains unimpressed. "You think I don't know what it's like to act tough, to try to convince the world until you start to believe it too? Everyone has those numb moments where you lack what you know you're supposed to feel. You get hurt like everyone else, even if it doesn't show or happens differently."

"No," Tommy tears away from her gaze, shaking his head. He wants to cover his ears but that's as good to admitting she's right.

"You're scared and it's controlling your actions, making you act like an asshole. You think you're the exception to all other people and get along without needing anyone? Don't kid yourself. Nobody can do that, not even the biggest sociopath on the planet. Getting help isn't weak, it's knowing your limits."

"Fuck you!" He takes a swing at her. Before the words are finished America has her foot on his chest, stomping him into the roof.

He could vibrate through the building, he could vibrate until she has to move or risk exploding, he could—

He looks into her eyes, brown and defiant. Her jaw is set, her fists are pale-knuckled, and her heel is grinding into his breastbone. And she's shaking just as badly as he is.

She's speaking from her own experience. She gets it as much as anyone could.

Something in him breaks. His eyes burn but he's not going to cry. He wants to punch her, explode the whole fucking building, crawl into a hole and die. "Shit!"

"Knew you'd see it eventually," she says as she removes her foot. "Being scared is fine. Being an asshole isn't. Accept help. You clearly need it."

Anger is familiar and easier than thinking about how raw he feels right now. "For somebody who lacks a dick you sure know how to be one."

America kicks him in reprimand. It hurts but she clearly went easy on him. "Don't assume. I come from a world of women and some of them have penises." She levels a glare at him. "And that's as far as I'm discussing the subject."

"Everybody on this team wants to lecture me." His eyes have stopped burning but he still feels like he's cracked into pieces and the edges are rubbing together. He stays on the ground because he doesn't trust his body.

"Clearly you're in need of it. Stop letting your fear control you. You lash out and try to hurt others before you get hurt. I only have so much patience for drama. I'm here to help, not do all the work."

"How are you supposed to help me?" Tommy laughs. He keeps laughing until there's no air in his lungs and he's clutching his stomach. His stomach heaves in bursts and his lungs force out breath until it burns and he can't say _there's no helping me._

America is on the ground beside him, staring at the sky instead of him. When he's finally stopped laughing, she speaks. "I grew up with a god. He was kind, compassionate, made of stars. He had his myths and rules, all that god stuff. I believed in him but he was never real to me." She turns to look at Tommy. "Until I met the mortal who'll become him. A skinny kid with his heart on his sleeve making dumb mistakes. It was hard to believe that he was the same person at first. I didn't want to accept he was as human and fallible as the rest of us. But he has the capacity to grow and change. Right now he's clueless and full of power he doesn't understand. When he screws up it has repercussions other people's mistakes don't. He has to learn. The job of his friends is to not let him get away with it when he's stupid and support him when he needs it."

There's hesitation in her words—something he didn't know was possible. Maybe she's never shared this with anyone else. This is an intimacy she doesn't give to just anyone.

She looks to him. "David is smart. He's got as many skills as there are stars. Have you ever suspected him of manipulating you?"

He's never even considered it. “What?"

"He could. Easily, without even trying. As easily as Billy could." She raises her eyebrows for emphasis. "But you trust that he won't."

 _Trust_. Fuck, it's true.

"You know Billy and his witch-mother. You know they're not out to intentionally hurt anyone. They're very aware how all their mistakes get amplified by their powers in ways they can't control. Billy was devastated at the suggestion he might have made Teddy love him. It took time for Teddy to get over the possibility too. The rest of the team had months of buildup before this came out and it was still hard on all of them. Teddy only got over it with David's help."

Tommy stares at her open-mouthed. He hadn't heard it was David who fixed it.

Seeing his surprise she goes on. "David pointed out how emotions are powerful, illogical, unexplainable things beyond our control. There's effectively no difference between Billy creating it and it being there naturally."

That does make a fucked-up kind of sense. "He got them back together by pointing out how feelings are stupid?"

She smiles. "That's not how he phrased it or how Teddy took it, but yeah. Feelings are messy, nonsensical, and inescapable. Accepting that makes them easier to handle. Choose who you trust on your own terms and don't let fear control you. No pain, no gain—you have to take risks and have faith to get anywhere. Rely on the team a little more. That's what we're here for."

She's right. He's been a real fucking coward, running away and hiding like some chickenshit loser. He condenses all his disgust and annoyance and fear into a single syllable. " _Ugh_."

"You got that right." She nudges his shoulder. "Let's be done talking about feelings. I'll get hives if this keeps up."

"Yeah. Feelings are stupid." He swallows, working past the lead on his tongue. "But they aren't going away. I have to talk to Billy."

She nudges him again, raising her eyebrows. "And?"

"And David."

"You have something good going on there."

He did, fuck, he really did. "And I've already ruined it. David tapped out."

She scoffs. "You're giving up that easily?"

David had said how Tommy could fix it. It's terrifying. There are so many ways it could go wrong, it's easier—

Fuck easier. When has he ever done things the easy way? "I'm not giving up. Fuck that. Fuck everything, fuck whatever people think about it and fuck all this stupidity. I want him." The words are out. He can't take them back. The echoes of his father's voice start to fill his head so he says it again. "I don't care what that makes me. I know what I want. It's stupid and it's awful but he's one of the best things that ever happened to me."

He feels weightless, like he did take that jump off the building and is free-falling into the unknown. Exhilarating, daunting, easy, and inevitably painful.

"Right," she says as she rises to her feet. "Enough of this. Let's go punch some people."

"Now we're talking."

They don't talk much for the rest of the day. Tommy throws himself into physical activity and pours all his fear and frustration into every movement until it's all reflex. They dust up some Neo-Nazis of the non-Hydra variety, dethrone a drug lord, rescue an idiotic tour group from some angry hippos—though they don't punch anything in that one because it wasn't the hippos' fault—and close a portal to Hell. Well, Tommy kept demons from escaping while America closed the portal. Lots of ground covered in a day. He wouldn't have been able to with anyone else.

"Let's punch people together again sometime."

"Sure." She holds out her fist and he bumps it. "Anytime."

It's tempting to go talk to David now but he doesn't. He's too desperate, too bruised to handle it. So he indulges and eats at his favorite ramen shop, mulling over what he wants to say. He thinks about Billy a little but he knows that'll be harder so he puts it off. He plans out what kind of make-up sex they'll have, staying in bed all day and making David come until he can't move anymore. Maybe David will want to find out how many times Tommy can come in row.

The idea of having sex with David and everyone else _knowing_ it's happening is weird. Bad-weird, jittery-weird. Fuck, America was right. He's acting like a real pissbaby. Fear is still squeezing his lungs but fuck that, fuck Billy and his dad and anyone else. It's his choice.

He goes to one of his crash spots and feels too wired to sleep. Everything with David keeps spinning in his head. What they had was so good Tommy had been convinced it'd blow up in his face—and then he made it happen. It probably will blow up in his face again and he'll be the idiot who let himself open for it. Even knowing that he still wants it. The thought of not hanging out with David anymore is way worse. And as much as he wants to say it's because David is a tall drink of water and Tommy's really thirsty, he knows that's not true. He's been fucking David's brains out at every opportunity to cover up what he didn't want to admit: he cares. He'd take a sexless life with David over a sexy one without him. It's not every day you find somebody who'd ditch everything to find you after only two days of knowing each other. Somebody who _gets_ him without explaining or judging.

"I have it bad," Tommy informs the air. Thoughts of the past four ( _fuck, only four? feels like fifteen_ ) days keep running around his brain until he finally passes out.

He dreams of running.

His legs pump and the wind pulls at his clothes until it's hands and limbs tugging at him and he's fighting off somebody he can't see. Then there's a body against him, blue fabric and red hands and he's screaming and pushing and their limbs are tangling together until they're fucking, hard chest against his back and hard dick inside him.

"Denial, Denial," it says into his ear.

Then he's the one doing the fucking. The red glove on his cheek is gentle with affection and he sucks the fingers into his mouth. Instead of fabric they taste like skin.

"What you can't outrun," it says in a voice that isn't the insidious whisper but something recognizable. Tommy kisses the mask and feels familiar lips against his as if it isn't there. The fucking quiets to a slow rock of bodies and Tommy isn't afraid but content.

He wakes up half-hard and confused, unsure what's real and what isn't. He jerks off before he can think too hard about if it's weird or not. Afterward he feels relaxed, grounded, and can't really remember what the dream was about.

What's clear is he needs to see David and can't wait a second longer. Maybe David can't sleep either and won't care about the hour. Tommy throws on clothes and runs home.

*******

David wakes Tuesday morning as sore as he expected. He lets himself mope half an hour in bed before hauling himself up to make breakfast. He uses the last of the eggs and English muffins to make eggs Benedict just like his dad does. It's effective as comfort food. He didn't expect the lack of Tommy in his life to be so keen and has to use the momentum immediately to go buy groceries.

He hasn't had to do it since he started living together with Tommy. It's a melancholy affair. He spends half the time worried he'll return to the apartment to find all of Tommy's things gone. He's relieved to find everything still there but putting away everything without Tommy hassling or helping the process hits just as hard as grocery shopping.

David sets up to give himself a haircut—he usually goes to the barber to avoid the mess but isn't in the mood to deal with people—when he gets a text from America.

→Saw Tommy. He's doing better.

Most of the worry bleeds out of him. He knows Tommy is okay and that's enough. Even so he jumps at his phone for every other text in hopes of news. Kate lets him know she's in town but caught up in whatever's going on with Clint (so she won't kick all their asses just yet). Teddy asks after Tommy.

He doesn't respond to any of them. Not yet. 

Despite all the work David throws himself into, his thoughts linger on Tommy. He knows he made the right decision but it's still hard to accept. He keeps hoping Tommy will come through the door the rest of the day.

He goes to bed early, his limbs as heavy as his heart. After a long time staring into the dark trying not to think about anything, he slips into sleep.

He wakes up in the middle of the night to Tommy standing beside the bed.

David's eyes adjust to the darkness. Tommy is quiet, shoulders hunched. His hair catches the little light through the window until it glows gold against his blue shadows. He doesn't look David in the eye as he asks, "Can I stay here?"

Before David can answer, Tommy repeats, "Can I stay _here_?" And he realizes Tommy doesn't mean the apartment but the bed. "I want to sleep."

Tommy doesn't mean sex, he means literally sleeping together. Something they've done only once. But being in bed together—David only in boxers—means it could happen easily. But if he's here, asking for this—

David feels hope blooming painfully in his chest. "Of course."

Tommy strips down to his boxers at normal speed, leaving his clothes in a puddle on the floor. David lifts the covers and curls his body, inviting Tommy beside him. Tommy accepts and settles into being the little spoon, their bodies pressed together and legs tangled.

"We'll talk in the morning," Tommy says, barely loud enough for David to hear. A police siren wails in the distance.

"Okay." David presses his face into Tommy's hair and doesn’t care that it smells like mold and smoke. Falling asleep is easy this time.

David wakes up to his shoulder protesting the angle it's in and it's only when he adjusts his position he realizes why—Tommy's still there. It's as pleasant as he imagined, warm and reassuring to have another body beside his. They switched sides overnight; Tommy is curled behind him, arm thrown over his side, fingers just barely brushing his abs. David wishes the circumstances were such that those fingers could trail lower and they could start the morning off without all the baggage.

Tommy shifts and pulls away. David's back is immediately much colder. He turns over to look at Tommy, the long curve of his spine as he sits on the edge of the bed, the pale expanses of skin and the way his hair catches the morning light. Tommy stands, stretches, then pushes down the left side of his boxers to scratch his ass.

David smiles at reality ruining the romanticized picture he'd been making. "Didn't think I'd wake up to a waning gibbous this morning."

"I could make it a full moon," Tommy offers, turning to look at him. But the subdued smile doesn't take the flirting any further.

David leans over to retrieve his glasses from the nightstand.

Tommy frowns at them, considering. "I thought you said a mutant healed your vision?"

"He did. But genetics and constant computer glare kept on contributing and my vision got to where I needed glasses again."

"Or you like the nerd cred you get from wearing them." It's a shadow of the teasing they used to have but it's enough to remind them both. They stare at each other, very aware of how little they're wearing and how easy it'd be to fall into old patterns. It's so tempting to let it happen.

"Breakfast?" Tommy asks as he turns away, retrieving his pants. "We should eat before talking."

David is pleasantly surprised he brought it up first, encouraged. "Good idea."

They make breakfast together, David cutting fruit while Tommy elects for greasy comfort foods to fry. Tommy manages to get David's eggs over easy for once—he usually leaves them on too long and the yolk hardens—so David doesn't complain about the overuse of oil and salt like he usually does when Tommy cooks. They eat in silence, awkward but better than not being together at all.

As Tommy shoves the last few bits of hash browns onto his fork he says, "I missed this. I missed you."

David's heart squeezes. He thought it'd take something drastic for that kind of admission, not a few days. "Me too."

Tommy finishes chewing and puts down his fork. He pushes the plate away a little like it's a distraction. "I'm gonna say some stuff. Don't interrupt me."

David nods, putting down his forkful of cantaloupe. "Okay."

"I'm terrible at this shit." Tommy is glaring him down before he can protest. David closes his mouth and Tommy continues, "I'm bad at relationships, a general fuck-up, and I know I rub people the wrong way most of the time and the rest of it I'm pissing them off. I know I've driven you up the wall lots of times—"

It's hard to stay silent. David bites back words and Tommy notices, a half-smile flickering on his face before he continues.

"I know I'm hard to deal with. I don't know if I can handle the whole gay thing—"

This time David can't contain himself. "It's _not—"_

Tommy waves him off. "I know, I know, gay isn't the right word and you can yell at me about that later." He spends a moment breathing hard, staring at David with an intensity that reminds David who Tommy is related to. Then he grabs David's hand, squeezing hard enough to hurt. "I want you. I know I'm a mess but I'd be an idiot to deny that anymore. I want you so much it's fucking terrifying."

David gets Tommy to loosen his grip so he can turn his hand over and squeeze back. Tommy is trembling, his hair mussed from sleep and his body twitching like he's repeatedly forcing himself not to run away.

"My life has sucked so long I expect it to go to hell. Sometimes I make things fuck up faster so I know how the fallout will be. I disappoint people. Not all of that is my fault, I'm not that emo and they can go fuck themselves, but I'm disappointing me by being a fucking coward." Tommy's free arm jerkily emphasizes his words. He's looking everywhere but at David. "You always treated me like I was worth something even when I annoyed you that first day. You expect me to be better." Tommy is breathing hard like he's bordering on panic. He lets go of David's hand like it's a hot coal he can't handle anymore then places his hand near it, almost touching. "So fuck it. Fuck all of them, fuck my stupid fear. I want you. I want _us_ , for real this time. Maybe I won't ruin it."

"Hey," David says to get his attention. Tommy is coiled like livewire. He looks up, reluctant. David brushes their fingers together for a moment of reassurance. "We both made mistakes. I made them with Teddy and with you."

Tommy's eyes drop at Teddy's name. David is startled with the realization that Tommy is _jealous_. He didn't think Tommy would ever doubt his appeal. "I can be an idiot sometimes. It took me too long to realize that a relationship like Billy and Teddy's—or with Teddy—would've made me miserable."

Tommy is bewildered, disbelieving.

"I need somebody who shakes things up, pushes me, drives me crazy. I need somebody who keeps me guessing, who will argue instead of accept. I need somebody who will keep it real. And that's you."

"Wouldn't want you getting trapped in that big genius brain." Tommy manages half a smile.

"I'm sorry I pulled the big dramatic breakup and left when you needed somebody."

"No, I was being a shithead."

"You're always a shithead," David says with far too much affection. "It's one reason I like you."

"Not the only one?" Tommy's smile is out in full.

"Far from it. If we're doing this—"

Tommy brushes his fingers against David's. "We are."

David inhales, exhales slowly. "Then I think we should try waiting a bit before we have sex again."

Tommy looks thoughtful, not angry. Good sign. The silence drags out, his reasoning on the tip of his tongue, when Tommy says, "Okay."

"Okay?" He'd expected more of an argument than that.

Tommy shrugs. "I've got some shit to figure out. But first," Tommy is suddenly at his side, the chair pulled out so he can sit on David's lap. They kiss, Tommy's hands behind his head and the pleasant weight of his body against David's. Tommy arches into him then pulls back.

"Want to watch a movie?"

David laughs, running a hand through Tommy's hair. "Sure."

*******

Tommy spends the day relaxing with David. Some of it's talking about serious stuff, most of it's watching martial arts movies and getting David to break down the fights. They have long useless debates about hypothetical scenarios. (David says Tommy isn't allowed to pick dildos as the improvised weapon after the third time, which is totally unfair.) It's tempting to initiate sex a couple times but Tommy holds back. He's missed times like this.

With the last bite of dinner Tommy comes to a decision. "I'm gonna go hash it out with Billy."

"You sure?" David would talk it over more but David _always_ wants to talk more. He probably would've spent the whole day making plans about fixing things with Billy if Tommy had let him.

"Yeah. I want this over with. No sense drawing it out. Don't worry, I got this." Before David can say something mushy or encouraging Tommy is out the door.

When Tommy arrives at the Kaplan's house he feels completely unprepared. All his confidence was pure bullshit. Now that he's staring down the brownstone and thinking about suffering through yet another talk about feelings, going in sounds like a horrible idea. He knows that if he knocked on the door Mrs K would answer and smile at him, invite him to stay for dinner and ask how he's been doing while she tries to figure out what he did to upset Billy. If Billy hasn't told her already. Mr K would be just as welcoming, if more awkward, and the little shits would burst in and ask dumb questions and go on for ages about Pokémon or whatever, and it'd be like this big family ordeal.

They're not bad people but this isn't his house, his life, his family. It's too much to handle when everything with Billy is so fucked up. Tommy looks to the window where Billy wasted months away and starts when he sees a familiar figure. Maybe that's where Billy does his thinking now, or maybe Tommy upset Billy enough to backslide. Either way it's uncomfortable to see him there, head against the glass and body slumped the same way he spent all those months.

But unlike then Billy sits up when he sees Tommy, surprised.

Tommy gestures at the roof with his chin in question.

Billy nods, a hesitant twitch in the corner of his mouth that might be a smile or a frown. He opens the window, floating out in a blue glow. Tommy dashes up the side of the building to sit on the roof.

It's not a bad view. The buildings around don't crowd in so close he can't see anything but the view is mostly more brownstones and rooftops—nothing exciting unless he does some window creeping. Tommy never made a habit of sitting out here—he'd rather be on the move—but sometimes he'd steal a few minutes to himself when it got to be too much, when all he wanted to do was scream or punch Billy until he showed any kind of reaction.

The silence stretches into awkwardness as neither of them quite know what to say. Tommy stands in front of Billy, looking at the way he slouches, the dark rings under his reddened eyes. Billy's a crybaby who doesn't have a clue what he's doing. Master manipulator? Ha, no fucking way. Billy can't lie for shit. He's got more power than sense and doesn't know his limits. Anything he does will be an accident.

Tommy gets pissed all over again that so much of his life depends on the whims of this sheltered idealist. "I won't apologize."

Billy glares and crosses his arms. "Then why'd you come?"

"Apologies are useless. I don't give a shit but you owe one to David. He cares about that kind of empty gesture." Tommy realizes he'd crossed his arms too and lets them fall to his sides.

"He already yelled at me for pissing you off."

He did? Go David. "I'm talking about those shitty texts you sent him. You asked if he'd be sleeping with _Wanda_ for fucks' sake!"

" _He's_ the one sneaking around—"

Tommy could punch him. "This isn't about _you_! Fuck, I know you're the magical Chosen One and the world revolves around you, but him being with me has jack shit to do with you."

Billy puffs up like an angry kitten. "Like hell it does! You're family!"

That, that right there is why he can't fucking stand _family_. Why does some accident of genetics—or magic, in this case—mean somebody has the right to get judgmental and invasive? "Who I fuck isn't something you get a say in. Or did you want an excuse to threaten to murder him again?"

"I didn't—"

Tommy talks over him—David saying the words is irrelevant because David would know if Billy meant it. "What the fuck do you think _erasing somebody from existence_ is?!"

"You're taking that out of context! We were joking!" As if realizing how weak the argument is Billy turns on the anger. "And _he's_ the one who kissed _my_ boyfriend!"

"So that makes it okay to turn your powers on him? For fuck's sake, you could make it happen by _accident_ and nobody could do a damn thing to fix it! Have a little responsibility." It's still a goddamn game to him. One stray thought and David would disappear and Tommy wouldn't even remember it. Just the thought of it gives him chills.

"I can't help having these powers! I'm _trying_ to use them responsibly." Billy puts a hand to his chest for emphasis.

Tommy sneers, "Trying isn't good enough!"

"Easy for you to say. You don't know what it's like." Billy is practically screeching.

"Oh, yeah, having your picture perfect rich family and space prince boyfriend must be _so hard._ "

"My life isn't perfect. We aren't _rich_. I was bullied—"

"So was I," Tommy snaps. His shit family, his freakish hair that doesn't look like either of his biological parents; people went for any excuse to be mean fuckers. "You don't see me sitting around crying about it. I had to fight for everything I ever had. I didn't get everything handed to me and powers that can do anything I want."

"I'm not like you. I don't know how to be strong and untouchable." Billy swipes at his eyes. "Sometimes you sound exactly like the people who bullied me."

 _I'm not untouchable,_ Tommy wants to say but can't. The words clog in his throat. "Well _excuse me_ for getting sick of being constantly compared to you! Everybody wants me to be you—even you! I'm your hero cred trophy."

"That's not true."

"You don't want me, you want what I represent. And you hate that I don't give a shit about any of it and don't want to be like you." He's nobody's fucking prop.

"I want you to be my brother!"

Tommy starts counting with his middle finger. "Which I can totally tell from how you formed a new team without me, you didn't know I was missing until David told you, and then you almost fucking killed yourself!"

Billy goes still with shock. He curls into himself, voice quiet. "You know about that?"

"You were going to hide it from me—"

"I didn't think you'd care!" Billy snaps. "You never care about—"

"The shit you care about. But I do care about other shit. I'm not so much a fucking asshole I don't care if you die." That he has to actually spell that out is infuriating.

"But you hate being my brother," Billy says with his ever-present cluelessness. "You hate being around my family." He doesn't say it but it's clear he wants to add _you hate me._

On a good day Tommy would argue that point but today ain't it. "I don't care about family because mine treated me like shit. I don't give a shit about blood relations or whatever the hell we are. I don't fit in with your family. I'm not Jewish, I don't believe in God—"

"You don't have to be religious to be Jewish or to be part of my family. I'm hardly the strictest practitioner, I call myself _Wiccan_! We're not going to force you to convert or exclude you if you don't share the faith. That'd completely miss the point of being family."

Huh. Tommy thought that'd be a bigger deal. Yet another misconception he didn't know he had thanks to dearest asshole dad.

Billy carries on, "I get that I'm lucky to have a family like mine. That's why I want share them with you."

That's more self-awareness than expected but he still puts the _ass_ in assuming. "I don't want to! It's bad enough being dragged into the super-family drama. I don't need yours too."

"Then can't we at least be friends? I know you care about those. I'm sorry I was a jerk to David. I thought I was over him kissing Teddy but I'm not. David is—he's smart and he doesn't get depressed like me. I thought Teddy would be better off with him and that terrified me. I don't know what I'd do without Teddy. David helped us, he rescued you—he's a good person. I know I have problems, I know so much could go wrong so easily—Mother is proof of that. I shouldn't have freaked out about you and David."

"I'm not gay," Tommy regrets the words as soon as he says them, knowing a reprimand is coming.

Billy looks confused. "I didn't think you were. You're probably bi or pan or demi or something."

"What?"

Billy sighs like he's explained this a thousand times. Maybe he has, Tommy always tuned this stuff out. "Pansexual and demisexual. Pan like all and demi as in kind of, like demigod not demiurge."

Billy keeps talking but Tommy is too busy thinking. Demisexual sounds familiar. Did he hear it from Billy or somewhere else?

"—If you ever listened to me you'd know all this already," Billy finishes his rant.

"Maybe I should've," Tommy admits. Demisexual. Maybe he'll Google it later. Or maybe not. What good will it do? He's not like David and Billy, making flags out of labels.

That surprises Billy. He looks less sour and more thoughtful. They're quiet for a second, staring at each other. Something in his expression shifts. "We're both bad at listening. I'll try to do better."

Tommy's not about to be outdone. "Me too."

It's a little less broken and that's enough.

*******

→HAVE YOU ALL MADE NICE OR DOES MAMA KATE HAVE TO BUST SOME SKULLS?

→It's been 5 days you better be done with drama.

As David finishes reading the text Tommy's new phone chirps with an alert. David hands it to Tommy. "Here. Kate's going to spam everybody now that she's free."

Tommy sends a reply then goes back to watching things explode on screen. David is sure it was a single word. He adds a little more context to his reply.

←No skull-busting required. Talk happened, healing process started.

→Good. Since I'm back and we need some bonding, it's party time.

The next text arrives at the same time for him and Tommy. He's sure the rest of the team got it too.

→Party @ David's place, 6p Saturday. Show up or I'll put an arrow in you. ♥

→You may suggest activities for my approval. There will be booze and food. Everyone will chip in money. David will take care of planning.

→( ˘ ³˘)♥ SEE YOU SOON

"You got voluntold," Tommy says with amusement. "Have fun with that."

"You did too. You live here." Surprise spreads over Tommy's face—he isn't used to being coupled with David. David drops the humor. "Is that okay?"

"It's fine." Tommy smiles. He's worried but determined not to show it. "I'm leaving all the work for you, anyway!"

David gives Tommy's head a shove, "Wow, thanks."

Tommy lets himself fall over, grabbing David's palm to deposit a kiss before he leaps off the couch. "I've sat around enough. I'm out. Let me know if you want me to pick up anything."

The movie isn't even halfway done but David doesn't point that out. This is how Tommy deals with stress and David isn't about to undermine their progress. Instead he texts Kate back.

←Thanks so much for the planning duties. Very kind of you. I'm delegating libation retrieval to you. I'll email you a list.

→I knew you'd be great at it. Liquor will loosen everyone up. Make sure to get enough so you'll dish on you and Tommy.

←My priorities are preventing a drunken disaster. Talk to Billy. He'll be nervous at the prospect of drunk Tommy.

Billy probably doesn't realize how inconsistent his concerns about drinking are or how they center on Tommy. While not unreasonable—Tommy does have factors that could lead to alcoholism—Billy worrying and monitoring his intake would be counter-productive.

→See? Balance. You're doing great already. I'll convince Billy.

They tease each other a bit before David gets distracted going over planning the party and Kate is busy with something Clint-related. He spends the rest of the night planning and decoding more Watcher info, wondering when he'll have to confess to Tommy what he's working on and why. His phone beeps but instead of Kate as he expected it's from Billy. David's texted Teddy a few times as they updated each other on their respective twin's state of mind but this is the first direct contact since he yelled at Billy.

→Sorry. I'd convinced myself I was over you and Teddy but I wasn't.

→I've been a jerk.

←We've both done hurtful things convinced we weren't being stupid at the time. It happens. We'll get past it eventually.

→You're a good person. You understand Tommy better than I do.

→Take care of him

→please

Well, having Billy's blessing is progress even if he knows Tommy would be irritated by it.

←As long as he wants me around I'm there

←We should talk. Work through this.

→Yeah

It's a beginning. Everything's a process. Tommy has his own process—he vanishes but is back to teasing David about the party planning before the next day is out. Despite the teasing he runs errands without protest; he's nervous and wants it to go well just as badly.

"Do you really think it's a good idea? To have us all together, drinking," Tommy asks as they crawl into bed together—Tommy hasn't slept on the couch since their talk.

"I'll keep an eye out, make sure nobody gets too drunk." But Tommy isn't worried about everyone—he's worried about himself. So he's aware that his alcohol habits are problematic. "As long as it's used as social lubricant—"

"Augh, that phrase is terrible!" Tommy makes a disgusted face.

"Only because you have a dirty mind."

"You _like_ my dirty mind." Tommy leans in for a kiss. They've yet to have sex again and neither of them are pushing for it quite yet. They're still figuring out how to sleep together—David sometimes wakes up too hot and Tommy has yet to sleep through an entire night since he's a light sleeper—but they're working it out. David is happy enough Tommy is willing to share the bed without needing an excuse.

By four on Saturday Tommy is pacing. David sends him on errands to give him something to do more than actual need but it's not enough. David puts a hand on his shoulder, "It'll be fine."

Tommy turns around and pushes his whole body into David, shoving him against the wall for a kiss. His tongue thrusts into David's mouth in time with his hips rolling into David and David can't help but groan. It's a bad idea, there's not much time before the others will arrive, stress relief is a poor excuse, but Tommy's hips between his hands and the way Tommy's fingers are roaming everywhere at rapid pace, it's so tempting. Tommy gets his hands under his shirt and his body lights up with needs and wants neglected by their abstinence. David has his fingers on Tommy's fly when there's a knock on the door.

"Fuck," Tommy pulls back, flushed and panting. David can feel his erection and it pains him to not do anything about it.

"Want me to distract her while you take care of it?" Even when his brain is full of sex he's still able to deduce the knock sounded like Kate.

"Kinky," Tommy laughs, shaking his head. "No way. Too weird." They tuck shirts back in and inspect each other for signs of what they'd been doing. After mutual thumbs-up David goes to open the door.

It's indeed Kate, looking fashionable in purple plaid and white jeans. She looks at them with a knowing smile. " _So_ sorry to interrupt."

"We—" David starts but she cuts him off with a chuckle.

"Congrats to both of you too. Keep it in your pants unless you want to share." She winks and turns to unload the bag of liquor with the other bottles.

David finds he's intrigued at the idea, and by the surprise on Tommy's face he's never considered the option. They're hardly in the right place for it but they should talk through the idea at some point, just in case.

"You're in a good mood," David says to shift the topic.

"I solved some crimes, beat up an evil villain, saved my idiot mentor, made plans on how to get revenge on my asshole dad and I'm taking care of my dummy teammates," she preens. "Life is great."

"Your dad?" David asks, voice gentle.

She holds a hand up. There are several small cuts healing on her fingers. "Not talking about it. But if you want to offer advice on how to steal his money and donate it to charity, I'm all ears."

"Want me to pee in his Cheerios or something?" Tommy offers.

That gets a grin. "I just might. Hold that thought, I want to save it for a really good moment." She looks around the apartment, at the snacks laid out and her battalion added to the army of bottles on the counter. "Nice spread."

"Five finger discounts are great," Tommy says as he waggles said fingers. "David's too nice to ask for the really good stuff so I liberated some from people who won't miss it."

"Aww, you're a booze Robin Hood!" Kate pats his cheek. "That means I don't have to feel any guilt about how much I drink."

"We can talk another time about bankrupting your dad." David moves to the counter and pulls out a tall glass. While everyone would be fine without him playing bartender, he has the skills, enjoys getting it right, and it gives him the opportunity to directly influence their alcohol intake. He has so many mixers he might as well use them. He puts in ice, ginger beer, rum, and a slice each of lemon and lime. "A Dark and Stormy to start you off."

She takes a sip and smiles. "It's perfect. Your ability to predict everything must make for the best sex."

Tommy chokes on his beer. "Kate!"

She laughs. "You look just like Billy when you're embarrassed. Tomato twins."

Tommy groans. There's a knock on the door and he dashes to get it to escape the embarrassment.

David makes himself a martini as Noh-Varr walks in.

The tension spikes as soon as he sees Kate. They look away from each other.

"I'll get you a margarita," David says to distract him.

"Thank you." Noh may have Tommy's coloring but he's so starkly different, from his height to his bulkier build to his square jaw. He lacks the air of energy, even more noticeable with his lingering break-up guilt. As he passes the drink, a star appears above the couch and America drops in.

She inspects where she stepped on the couch for sneaker prints before speaking. "Sorry, was too far away to come the normal way."

"Showoff," Tommy says as he tosses her a bottle of gin. "Got your favorite."

"Please don't throw bottles of alcohol," David says with a sigh. "I'd rather not deal with the mess."

America salutes the bottle at him in acknowledgement. There's a knock at the door and they all know who it must be before it opens.

Tommy tenses. Kate swans over to the door, throwing it open so hard it bangs into the wall. "Billy! Teddy! About time you showed up. David, do you have ridiculous fruity drinks for them?"

"On it," David says as he mixes Mai Tais.

"Is this everyone?" Billy asks as he looks around the room.

"Yup." Kate takes a long gulp of her drink. "I couldn't get ahold of Loki and Eli refused to come."

"Figures," mutters Tommy.

David resolves to talk to him sometime about Eli. Maybe Eli would be willing to talk about his time on the team—it'd be valuable perspective. "Lucky," David says to Tommy. "Or we'd run out of chairs."

Tommy scrounged up an overstuffed leather reading chair from somewhere, just big enough to fit two people sitting very cozily. Adding the couch and kitchen chairs, it's barely enough.

Kate is chatting up a storm with Billy and Teddy. America starts snacking on cookies. Noh-Varr looks lost.

Best give him something to do. "Would you microwave some popcorn? Cabinet over the microwave, red box. 2:22 exactly."

Noh-Varr looks pleased. If David can get a popcorn maker to work in space it'll be the perfect Christmas present.

"Now that everyone's here," David says loud enough to cut through the chatter. "Everyone needs to eat something. Now, before the drinking gets going. Eat something every time you get a refill—no vomiting is happening on my watch."

"You're such a good team mom," Kate teases.

"Does that make you team dad?" David raises an eyebrow.

Tommy waves his hands. "This conversation is way too weird." He darts over to the chips and starts crunching them loudly. The others start crowding around to grab food, piling plates high and exchanging inconsequential comments. Billy asks Tommy to pass him pizza, Noh-Varr waits quietly for Kate to move away from the breadsticks, David bumps into Teddy and it takes some quick moving on both their parts to keep their drinks from spilling—awkward but manageable.

Teddy, Billy, and Noh-Varr claim the couch. America has claimed one of the kitchen chairs and is sipping gin from the bottle as she eats pizza. Kate takes the other kitchen chair so David takes the overstuffed one. David isn't sure where Tommy will sit. Tommy glances around the room then perches on the chair's armrest, his legs brushing David's side.

It feels like a victory. He thought they'd have to work up to Tommy being near him in front of the others. They eat their pizza in companionable quiet.

America turns to David, gesturing at the army of appetizers on her plate. "I don't know what half of these are, but I like them."

"You put some of the charity banquets I've been to shame. Is this pepper jelly and goat cheese?" Kate holds aloft the tiny cheesecake with orange jelly on top.

America turns and bites it out of Kate's hand, startling her into silence. America smiles, smug. "Let a girl have some mystery."

"Food shouldn't be a mystery, it should be delicious," Tommy says around a mouthful of pizza. He adds in a stage whisper, "Not that I know half of what he cooks."

Like he isn't the one buying the ingredients. "I dupe you into eating healthy that way."

Kate mouths _team mom_ at him. America sees it and snickers, which happens at the same time Teddy says something to Noh-Varr that gets him to laugh.

"Oh, David," Billy says with too much enthusiasm to cover his nervousness. It's clearly a continuation of whatever conversation they'd been having. "How ridiculous are you at video games?"

David finishes chewing his bite of pizza. "Very. It's unfair for me to play against anyone on any game that came out when I had my powers. After that it's marginally better but still requires a heavy handicap."

"What about for single player games? Do you do speedruns?"

David shrugs. "I tried Super Mario Brothers once and got 4:54. Not really my thing."

Billy perks up. "Do you—"

"Enough, nerds." Kate slices her hand through the air between them. "If we're moving from eating to activities I already have something in mind: Spin the bottle."

"What's that?" America asks as Billy groans.

"Is that a good idea?" Teddy asks before David can.

David does add, "Isn't that a bit much? Will we play _Never have I ever_ afterward?"

Tommy gags. "Hello, _incest_?"

"Oh, hush!" Kate waves at all of them in a big dismissive sweep. "You and Billy aren't blood related and you might not even get picked. It'll be fine! It'll be _fun_. Let me explain the rules."

"But—" Billy protests.

"Everyone is going to kiss and make up, mmkay?" Kate holds out her hand at Tommy. "You're almost done with your beer, right?"

Tommy tips his head back and swallows the last of it. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and gives her the bottle.

Kate puts it on the coffee table and gives it a test spin on top of the now-empty pizza box. "Yes, this'll do fine. David, please rearrange seats so everyone is equidistant."

At a glance, David determines the closest approximation he can get with the furniture they have and starts moving people.

"Whoever is spinning has to kiss whoever the bottle lands on. Lips must touch enough you can swap spit. And," she grins, clearly proud of the next rule. "If you've kissed that person before, drink. Whoever gets kissed spins the next round."

"But—on the lips? And drinking?" Billy shifts in his seat.

"I'm not saying you have to make out with Tommy or something, geez! I'm not a degenerate. And you'll only have to drink if it lands on Teddy. We might go the whole night without that happening. It'll be fine." Now that everyone is reseated, she turns to Billy. "I reserve the right to pull more rules out of my ass. Billy, you're going first since you were so vocal about it."

Billy moves to the middle and Kate takes his spot on the couch. He looks to Teddy, who gives him a reassuring smile, then he spins.

When the bottle slows David starts getting nervous. It wobbles but doesn't stop moving until it's past David and pointing at Tommy.

"No way," Tommy holds his hands in front of his face like he's warding off the kiss. "We need a mulligan."

"I don't think this is a good idea," Billy says to Kate, not looking at Tommy. They've barely acknowledged each other's existence since Billy arrived.

"Suck it up, boys. Kiss or I'll shove your heads together myself." Kate's tone brooks no argument.

Billy and Tommy stand, edging around the table until they're in front of each other. David looks to Teddy, who appears just as worried as he is that this will go badly.

"I think this is exactly as gross as you do," Tommy tells Billy. "Let's get it over with."

"But we're related—" Billy is flushing in frustration and humiliation more than embarrassment. "And Teddy—"

Tommy is a blur of motion, slowing to grab Billy's face. David can't see what happens but Tommy pulls away smirking and Billy shrieks.

"You _licked_ me!" Billy wipes at his face. "Augh!"

The tension ebbs. Billy is outraged but not angry.

Tommy turns to Kate. "That counts, right?"

Kate is laughing. "Sure."

Billy is still scrubbing furiously but he looks more relaxed now. Tommy annoying him is normal.

America is silently chuckling and offers Tommy a high-five.

"Well," Teddy says with a smile, looking at Billy but addressing the room. "I don't think anything else will get that strange."

"You said it," Tommy mutters. He looks at Billy and they stare at each other a moment. Both of them look away with half-smiles. It's a start. He spins the bottle.

David keeps an eye out for cheating. No sign of it but the bottle lands on Kate.

"That's more like it!" Tommy pumps his fist in the air.

"Drink first," Kate reminds him as she stands.

Tommy is away then back in a second with a new beer. He takes a generous swallow, puts it on the table, and faces her.

They grin at each other and step into each other's space. Tommy is hesitating, hiding it with exaggerated flirting. David is glad he has no cause for jealousy.

Kate pulls him in. They have an awkward second where their heads turn the same way but Tommy adjusts and their lips meet. It's open-mouthed and easy but not passionate, not leading to something more. It's a goodbye kiss. They pull away and smile—both of them realized what it was. Kate squeezes his hand and he goes to sit down in her empty spot in the kitchen chair.

"Prepare yourselves," Kate says as she sweeps back her hair over her shoulder. "One of you is about to have your day made." She spins with a flourish.

"What happens if it lands on somebody the bottle picked before?" Tommy asks, continuing his flirtation.

"Then both people drink," Kate decides.

The bottle lands on America. Kate blushes vividly red from her neck to her ears. "Um. Well, this is, um—"

"Excited, Princess?" America asks with a smirk. "I'm flattered."

"You!" Kate holds herself straight, stomps over to America and grabs her jacket. Kate darts in so fast she hits the corner of America's mouth instead of the middle. America shifts her head and raises her hands to adjust Kate, their mouths opening as the osculation continues.

Tommy whistles, laughing. Teddy and Billy start clapping. Noh-Varr looks away, then back, detached observation taking over the sadness.

America flips everyone off for the ruckus, which makes Tommy get louder. Kate pulls America tight against her then lets go, hair disheveled and lips pink.

"That was good. Very good." Kate nods, tucking her hair behind her ears.

" _I'll_ say," Tommy mutters. Kate starts to glare at him but when Billy laughs her expression softens.

"Let's do that again sometime." America winks and Kate blushes even harder as she goes to sit down. "Now who's next?" She spins the bottle hard.

Kate leans forward, staring at the bottle like she can will it to pick her again.

"Oh, pick me!" Tommy waves his hand like an excited kid. "Let's blow them all away with our hotness!"

"You're not my type, Tommy-boy." She smirks at Tommy but her eyes glance around the room. "Not enough people here are."

She has a point—they could use more women on the team. David should go over candidates when he's fully sober.

Tommy lounges as much as he can on a wooden chair, emphasizing his lean lines. "I'm everybody's type."

America rolls her eyes, then looks to the bottle. It's been over thirty seconds and it's finally slowing to a stop—on Noh-Varr.

"Well, it got the hair right," Kate consoles Tommy.

"So not fair." Tommy slouches into a sulk.

Noh-Varr blinks, surprised to be picked. He stands and walks over to America. He starts to say something but she grabs him, dips him low, and kisses him firmly but quickly on the mouth. She stands him back up and says, "Yup, still a lesbian."

Noh-Varr has a small, rueful smile. "I'm honored."

"Would've been so much better with me." Tommy is the picture of pouting. David can't help but grin a little at his childishness.

"Keep dreaming." America's brown eyes are smiling. "I'm sure David can quench that thirst."

Tommy makes a dramatic show of being offended to hide the flush creeping up his neck.

Billy watches the exchange but doesn't interject. 

Noh-Varr finishes examining the bottle and spins it gently. He doesn't look up until it stops a few seconds later. On Kate.

The tension in the room ratchets up. He turns away to take several sips of his margarita. His doleful expression says he's willing to back down.

Kate stands and brushes nonexistent lint from her pants. "It's Noh problem."

David contains his snort—nobody else noticed she aspirated and made a pun.

Billy is on the edge of his seat like he's going to throw himself between them if need be.

Noh-Varr stands straight, hands to his sides, waiting.

Kate leans in, holding her body and hands back as Noh-Varr carefully leans down enough so she doesn't have to stand on her toes. The kiss is brief and chaste. They look at each other a moment, mournful eyes and apologetic smiles, then pull away.

The rest of the room stops holding their collective breaths.

Kate tosses her hair over her shoulder. "Let's see who the next winner is." She spins.

"Too bad your aim with a bottle isn't as good as a bow," Billy says.

"Yeah, then you could get back to being patriotic," Teddy chimes in.

" _Rude!_ " Kate glances at America and the bottle. It lands on Teddy, who looks bashful and surprised.

"C'mere, you," Kate pulls him to his feet. Her hands are dwarfed in his. "I'm going to give you all kinds of cooties."

"Terrible girl cooties." Teddy shows her a flash of teeth and leans down.

Kate pushes up on her toes to kiss him, he places his hands on her waist to steady her. Right before their lips meet they both laugh out of awkwardness before Teddy kisses her steadily, carefully, gently.

"This is so weird," Billy says as he watches, looking slightly queasy. He takes a long drink of his Mai Tai.

"You said it," Tommy agrees. Noh-Varr nods and drinks as well.

Teddy doesn't look uncomfortable kissing a woman but not particularly interested either. David wonders if he's a little further center on the Kinsey scale than Billy or if his shapeshifting makes him less awkward about different bodies. Not a question he'll ever ask—it's irrelevant when Teddy is all but married to Billy.

Kate gives Teddy another kiss on the cheek as they pull apart. "Extra cooties to go. Be sure to share them with Billy."

He laughs, mussing her hair. 

It reminds David of himself and his sister and he can't help but smile.

Teddy looks at Billy and gives the bottle a careful spin, clearly hoping it'll land on his boyfriend.

David has seen enough to know it won't land on Billy but—he frowns, hoping he's wrong. When the bottle comes to rest facing him David wishes he'd bumped the table to throw it off.

Billy is gripping the armrest hard trying to pretend he's calm.

"I think that bottle is vindictive." Tommy laughs but he's just as tense as Billy. "Maybe this should be the last round."

David stands and walks to Teddy, hyperaware of every movement. They haven't been this close since their last kiss. David waits, knowing taking the initiative would be a bad idea. His heart is beating fast with dread instead of excitement. Any wrong move could set Billy or Tommy off again.

Teddy leans in, David obligingly lifts his head to meet him, and their lips touch. It's passive, hesitant, nothing like Tommy at all, nothing like the hasty desperation of their last kiss. Any lingering romanticism he has about that moment is gone; it was awkward then and it's even moreso now. David has no desire to prolong contact.

"Not as bad as last time," Teddy says quiet enough only David can hear.

David raises his eyebrows. "It'd be hard to top that."

"We're good?" Teddy squeezes David's shoulder and pulls back.

"We're good."

Teddy stops by Billy to tangle their fingers together before taking David's empty seat. The room remains quiet. David calculates how to get the result he wants and spins. He looks to Tommy, whose face is shuttered and fingers drumming restlessly on the side of the chair. As the bottle slows he knows he got it right. David winks at Tommy and that startles him into a smile. The bottle stops at Tommy.

"Oh, you're an exhibitionist now?" Tommy waggles his eyebrows and stands, handing David his drink. David sips and sets it down, watching the way Tommy keeps darting glances at Billy, at Kate.

"You sure you want to do this?" David whispers as they draw in, feeling the hesitation in Tommy's limbs as they touch.

Tommy meets his gaze, eyes green with trepidation. Then his eyes narrow, his jaw sets, and he's wrapping arms around David to pull him in. Tommy's mouth is open and greedy, sucking at David's tongue and running his hands up David's back like they do when they're not getting applause and cheering. Kate's the loudest, calling out crass suggestions and offering to clear the coffee table for them. Tommy tilts his hips and pushes into him just a little, enough to make them both gasp. David bites Tommy's lip and holds it between his teeth as they pull away. Tommy is pink-cheeked and wide-eyed, shaken but not tense.

He grabs one of David's hands. David follows him into a bow at their audience.

"Thank you, thank you. That's all you get for free." Tommy is all exuberance to cover his uncertainty.

David plays into it, mock-offended. "Wait, we have a price?"

"Can't deny demand." Tommy gestures at the still-applauding Kate.

He turns to Kate, "Is strip poker up next?"

"Well now that you mention it," she says with a lascivious grin.

Billy and Teddy shout protests and the game dissolves into drinking and chatting, everyone returning to their previous seats. Billy and Teddy lean on each other, Kate and America keep teasing each other, Noh-Varr peruses David's music and makes a playlist while complaining how David's collection is too eclectic and esoteric. The discussion leads to Teddy explaining karaoke to Noh-Varr, which Billy declares the most evil act his boyfriend has ever committed. Once it's clear no karaoke will happen tonight Noh-Varr starts to compose "The Ballad of Booze Robin-Hood" at Kate's behest until America threatens to flatten them both. The conversation shifts into a heated debate of the best space-based series.

Tommy stays on the armrest but his legs and hands constantly brush against David. As Billy and Teddy are gazing into each other's eyes Tommy leans over to mutter, "We're never allowed to get that disgusting."

"Should we check it occasionally?" David asks as he runs his hand up Tommy's thigh.

"Good idea." Tommy darts in to lick his ear.

David manages not to yelp but frantically wipes away the spit. 

Tommy throws back his head and laughs, unfettered belly laughter without self-consciousness.


	4. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the "bad dirty talk" tag as it is very, very terrible. I almost feel like I should apologize for how terrible it is but once I thought of it I had to go there.
> 
> It feels so weird to be finished. Thank you to everyone who made it this far. Your support got me through and made my struggle feel worth it. Thanks for your patience at my snail pace and all the hits, comments, and kudos left.
> 
> Now have some ridiculous porn.

Tommy flips off the machine as it beeps in glee at his death. "Fuck you, shitty 90's response time." He abandons the colorful buttons on the X-men arcade game for the ones that actually fucking work on his phone. David should be done by now.

←How'd the interview go?

→Didn't get it. Could've tried harder but I doubt I would've liked working for Stark

→Wasn't total waste of time. Victor Mancha was there

←The robot dude? Former Runaway?

→That's him. We talked, exchanged numbers. Seems like a decent guy. Talked about the time he was on an all-robot team with a Doombot somebody converted to not-evil.

←No shit? We need one on the team.

←We need one yesterday

←DOOMBOT

←DOOMBOT

←DOOMBOT

←Get on that ASAP

→I could

→Or I could continue what I'm doing right now

→And you could join me

The next message is a photo of a bottle of lube on David's sheets.

Tommy feels his body light up. They've made it three weeks without sex and as much as Tommy appreciated the space to figure his shit out he's tired of thinking about it and waiting. And the idea of David impatient for more, _fuck_ , that's too appealing to pass up. The previous times never felt like quite the right one—they'd make out a little then stop—but today is it. 

"Is that how you normally sext?" America's voice is full of teasing derision, bringing him back to reality. She's peering over his shoulder, her hair brushing his ear. "Kate at least shows me some cleavage." The sounds of the arcade come back to his attention, the console she'd just been playing counting down as it urges her to put in more tokens for another life.

"David refuses to take any pictures he deems 'compromising,'" Tommy laments as he turns to face her. "Which is everything the least bit sexy. He doesn't even want to do shirtless pics. It's terrible." Every second he spends talking is a second away from the sex he's about to have. Time passes by like molasses.

America knows he's impatient and finds his distress hilarious. "You poor thing." She pats his shoulder. "Take that booty call. You clearly need it. I'll get the high score on my own."

"Kaythanksbye," Tommy blurts, tossing the remainder of his tokens at her. She'll catch them. He runs as fast as he can with the distracting mental image of David in bed.

His heart is pounding when he gets home. He slows as he approaches the bedroom, mind full of the many ways David might be on the bed, savoring the possibilities a moment before they become just one.

He steps into the bedroom. David is completely naked, sprawled on the bed on his back, knees open and feet planted wide apart. His dick and balls are on full display facing the door. There are shining streaks of lube on his thighs leading up to his hole.

Tommy's breath stutters. His entire body tingles and tightens. David must've heard him because he lifts his hips to make an obscene display of ass, balls, and cock draped to the left between his open legs.

Tommy struggles to make a joke but it's hard to think of anything. " _Fuck_."

"That's the idea," David says, lowering his hips and lifting onto his elbows so he can look at Tommy. "It's time."

"Your body is ready?" Clearly it is. But saying that is like asking if he's okay without it getting weird.

David gets it. He smiles wide, eyebrows arching. "My body is _very_ ready. And yours is too."

He could be inside David in _seconds_. As soon as his dick is hard and the condom is on he could bury himself inside that ready heat. But knowing David did all that prep for him makes him want to savor it a little, get David as worked up as he is.

Tommy moves forward. David turns over onto his knees—now isn't the time for romancing, it's time for a good dicking.

Tommy kneels on the bed, shirt off but the rest of his clothes untouched because they require too much effort right now. His hands hover over David's calves as he takes in the smell of lube and arousal. David is surprised and starts to lay back down but Tommy runs his hands up David's legs, kissing where firm thigh meets plush ass to convince him to stay put.

David sucks in a breath. He knows what Tommy wants to do to him. "If you do that I'm not kissing you on the mouth the rest of the night."

"Worth it," Tommy says and leans in, rubbing his thumbs along the crease before pulling the cheeks apart. The shine of lube is bright on the darker skin of that puckered opening. The little hairs are gone (did he _wax?_ ) and Tommy wonders if this is what David wanted all along. Tommy puts his tongue next to his thumb, trailing it up and over to the other thumb. David hisses and lets his front fall back onto the pillow.

The idea of putting his mouth there is still a little gross so Tommy stops thinking about it. He concentrates on the feel instead of the taste as he nudges the loose ring of muscle with the tip of his tongue. It opens easily but Tommy goes back to licking the surface anyway, feeling the twitching muscles as David tries to keep still.

"Tommy," David says, half-plea half-warning.

Tommy pushes his tongue in in one quick jab, feeling the soft heat and thinking how incredibly easy it'd be to push his dick into it. He fucks with his tongue the same way he'd fuck with his dick and David shudders. His jeans are uncomfortably tight. Tommy takes his hands off of David's ass to undo his fly. He sighs out his nose in relief, the hot breath on skin making David groan.

Because he can't help being mean he vibrates his tongue a little and enjoys the way David squirms. David won't be able to come from rimming alone since Tommy can't get his tongue far enough inside to hit his prostate. Tommy keeps one hand to palm his dick through his boxers and raises the other to run fingers over David's dangling balls. David hums appreciatively at Tommy touching him more. His cock hangs heavy and Tommy loves the way it feels in his palm. He gives it a few slow jerks in time with pushing his tongue in and pressing his hand over his dick.

"I never thought I'd have to tell you to hurry up," David grumbles where his face is pressed into the sheets. "But _hurry up_."

"So impatient," Tommy says because he's loving the way David's legs are slowly spreading wider in encouragement. He doesn't want David to beg—too weird—but he does dig the idea of David desperate for it.

Before David can unleash some snappy comeback, Tommy's tongue is pushing back inside and he's got one hand on David's cock and the other has fingers splayed over the skin between balls and ass. Tommy vibrates those fingers and David jerks so hard Tommy has to grab his hips. Tommy rubs his dick against David's leg a little to ease the lack of stimulation. It's not enough, he has to get David to come before he bursts from blue balls. He wraps his arms around David's legs, pushing his hands between until he's got his fingers on David's taint again. The angle is awkward but he won't need to hold it very long. He vibrates his fingers again, holding his grip tight against David's squirming. David is shouting into the pillow, grabbing fistfuls of sheets before slapping the mattress like he has to expel energy somehow. It's hard to keep his tongue inside but it's worth the effort keeping it where it's warm and wet and quivering.

"Tommy," David moans, "Come on, I'm so close."

Tommy's right hand starts to ache so he unwraps it from around David's legs and grabs his cock. The angle's awkward and he can't see what he's doing but he starts shifting David's foreskin over his shaft and vibrates a little harder. David's words turn to babble, his stomach sucks in. Tension radiates up David's legs until he clenches and comes with a shout.

Tommy destroys his boxers in the rush to get his dick out but he doesn't care. He pulls back and speeds up his mind so he can admire the sight of David spread out before him. David is expanses of smooth brown skin, muscles flexing, spit and lube shining by his hole, and a rope of cum splattering on the sheets. Although the angle means he can't see David's face he knows how it looks—mouth slightly open, eyes open but unfocused, the tendons of his neck standing out then relaxing. Orgasm hits him suddenly. He was so busy looking he wasn't thinking about his own body. He grabs David's thigh to steady himself, a high-pitched noise escaping his mouth. They fall to the bed together at uncomfortable angles, his head still by David's ass.

"I'm laying in my own semen and I can't get myself to care," David says half-wondrous, half-disgusted. "What have you done to me?"

Tommy manages a chuckle. "Brought out the filth."

"That's all you. I prepped with entirely different things in mind."

"Is that a complaint?" Tommy summons the energy to haul himself half up and onto David's back, his soft dick pressing into David's left asscheek. "Give me a couple minutes and you'll get all the D you need. You're avid for the D."

David isn't impressed by the pun. "My life was so much easier when all I did was masturbate."

"More like sadder. I'm way better than any dildo." He pushes his hips forward a couple times, pleased it starts to harden up again.

"Not so sure about that." David freezes, sucks in a breath.

Tommy knows what that means. "You've got an idea."

His brown eyes are sharp, intense. "Could you hold still?"

"What?" That doesn't sound fun at all.

David looks at him from over his shoulder, contorting his neck so their eyes meet. "Would you be able to hold still while I fucked myself on your cock?"

Tommy flares with heat under his skin. He's never been so grateful how quickly he can get hard again. "Using me as a dildo? I feel very objectified." When David looks for a moment like he's taking that seriously Tommy moves his hips again. "I've never seen you want to get fucked this badly."

"I'd had no idea I could get like this," David huffs. "I blame you. You spoiled me with all that sex."

They both know there was plenty wrong with all that sex but joking about it feels like moving on. "This feels like a moment for dirty talk."

"God, no." The end gets a little breathy because Tommy's started to roll his hips, letting the hard curve of his dick drag over David's skin. "Either it's so crass and overdone it's like bad porn or it's so florid and euphemistic it's like bad romance novels."

"You don't want me to call you slutty in ten different ways and tell you I'm gonna pump you full of cum?"

"Don't even start," David says as he makes a disgusted face. "If you keep that up I'm going to get you back with florid romance phrases." He grabs the bottle of lube and a condom and hands them to Tommy, shifting to push himself up.

Tommy backs off so David can get on hands and knees and he can finally get rid of his pants. His comeback is delayed because he can't help but stop and admire the sight. To distract himself he decides to push a little more and see if David will really do it. "Oh yeah, I'm gonna impale you with my fuck-stick."

David smashes his head into the pillow, muffling his laughter. He turns his head just enough to uncover his mouth. "That's _terrible_."

"Yeah?" Tommy runs fingers up the inside of David's thigh, and his whole body goes tight when David spreads them further apart.

David's voice drops as low as it can go. "I'm much rather you plunge your rod of love into my depths."

"That!" He sputters in disbelief. "People actually think that's sexy?"

David's grin means yes. Shit, he's probably quoting from some X-lady's favorite book. "Somebody does, though most romance novels aren't that bad. Not everybody loves to hear about weeping manhood."

Now Tommy wants to fuck David hard enough he stops saying such _awful_ phrases and they can get back to having normal sex. He uncaps the lube and spreads it over his fingers. He smears it around David's hole as he pushes two fingers inside. David is still loose, it's so easy to push in it feels obscene.

David turns to rest his weight on one shoulder so his hands are free to pull back and hold his cheeks open. He knows exactly what Tommy wants to do and is giving him the go-ahead. Tommy has no trouble getting hard again.

He gets the condom on and lines up. He pauses. "I want to try it. Holding still while you do all the work."

David turns around to talk but Tommy thrusts inside in one smooth slide. David chokes on his words.

"Sorry, wanted to do that first." Tommy says with a grin that isn't at all sorry.

"I'm getting you back for that." David squeezes around Tommy's dick, which feels _amazing._

"Looking forward to it. Now," Tommy straightens his body, widens his stance, then puts his hands behind his back. "Go fuck yourself."

David's glare says he knows Tommy's been waiting to say that since the suggestion came up. He pushes up onto his hands, the muscles on his back bunching and shifting. Seeing that is even better than the sensation of their shifting bodies around his dick.

David shifts forward then back, experimental and slow. He does it again with a different angle of his hips. He lowers his front down onto his elbows and widens his legs, does it again. Tommy knows from the way David's breathing he found what he wants. Tommy watches as his dick vanishes inside and reappears from the stretched ring of muscle. He's always been so busy fucking he's never had a chance to watch like this. It makes him wish there was a mirror somewhere so he could see more of David. David's breathing is heavy, his mouth must be hanging open because he never stops making some kind of noise. His whole body is in motion, faster and harder with each round of fucking himself. Tommy's grasps his hands hard to keep himself still when he wants to move, wants to touch, wants to bury himself deep in that heat.

"Shit," David says just under his breath. "Shit."

Tommy can't take it. He unclenches his hands and wraps one around the base of his dick.

David shoves himself back and Tommy vibrates the hand touching his dick. It's not as effective as vibrating parts of his body directly but it's enough David gasps and pushes back so hard his ass meets Tommy's circle of fingers. His breathing is fast, erratic as he struggles to keep himself together. There's less precision in his movements as he devotes his whole body to getting fucked.

David picks up the pace but accidentally pulls too far and Tommy's cock comes out. "Fuck!" David snarls. "Fuck! Your turn. Don't break the bed."

Which is David's invitation to go rough and fast. Tommy grabs David's hips, ready to pound away, but stops. He could do that and it'd be great, but it's not what he wants. Not for their first time having sex again. "Flip over."

"Wha?" David takes a moment to understand. "Missionary?" he asks, surprised.

"Make fun of me for being a sap later." He uses his hold on David's hips to start the turn. "Let's get back to boning."

"If you want to continue don't call it that. Not sexy." David complains as he turns over and lifts his hips so Tommy can shove a pillow underneath. David looks between them, frowns, and grabs the other pillow and adds it to the pile. Tommy settles between David's legs and runs appreciative hands over calf muscles. David wraps his legs around Tommy and tightens them to encourage him forward. There's a couple awkward seconds of getting the angle right then Tommy is pushing inside. _Fuck_ the feel of somebody stretching around his dick is always amazing. They're still a couple seconds then Tommy tries a short, shallow thrust. The slap of skin is much louder. "You want raw or well done?"

David takes a couple more thrusts to respond, his words clogged and guttural. "Don't you start."

"Start what?" Tommy says as he stops thrusting and rolls his hips instead. It's agonizing but David has that really hot frustrated face so it's worth it.

"If you keep up the porn talk I'm going to use more bad romance lines."

Like he'd dare mess up the sex he wants so bad. Tommy slowly starts fucking again, loving the way his balls connect to skin every time in this position. "You know you want my baby gravy."

David makes a pained noise, loud enough Tommy almost thinks he's hurt David until David says, "Yes, fill my slit of mystery with your seed."

Tommy loses his rhythm in his shock, then redoubles his efforts. "Oh, it's on."

"Claim my unexplored depths," David urges, barely able to stifle his laughter. It's easy to see how his eyes crinkle when he laughs without his glasses in the way.

"Gonna decorate you like a cake."

"Don't you mean creampie?" David probably knows all the weird porn terms. Tommy's going to have to get more creative to win this but it's so hard to think when his brain is in his dick and his orgasm is building in his gut. Tommy squeezes hard on David's hipbone to concentrate.

"I'm gonna fill your shit chute like a firehose." It makes zero sense when Tommy's wearing a condom but he's impressed with himself for how awful it is.

David looks _appalled_. He claps his hands over his ears and closes his eyes. After a few thrusts his face slackens and his eyes slide open. He holds his legs to the sides in a wide M, inviting. Tommy puts hands on David's thighs to keep them out of the way and goes faster.

David is watching him intently. He pants with his mouth open, their verbal sparring forgotten.

Tommy won. His thrusts get shorter and harder. He's close, he's so close and he _won._

"Yes," David moans with exaggerated enthusiasm, hands still over his ears. "Fill my love channel with your turgid member."

To his horror, Tommy comes right then and there. He wants to stop but his hips keep moving on automatic until he's completely spent. Tommy pulls out quickly despite the soreness and jabs an accusatory finger at David.

"You asshole! And not in a sexy way." Tommy can feel he's blushing and that only makes things worse.

David is smiling like the fox that ate the entire damn henhouse.

"In a _fuckawful_ way! You tainted our sex with that—that—" He can't even come up with words for how terrible it is. Now he'll always have the shame of coming when David said _member_ , ugh.

"Really?" David's eyebrow game is on point. " _I'm_ the worst when none of my phrases involved hoses and shit-chutes? You ruined it just as much as I did."

Well, when he puts it that way. It comes back to Tommy all in a rush that this is their make-up sex, the renewal of normalcy and they did _that_ as their first time.

Their eyes meet. David's thinking it too. Tommy is hyper-aware of the smell in the room, the gross soggy condom still sitting on his dick, the way David looks relaxed and __happy.__

David snorts, "Baby gravy."

Tommy snickers, "Love channel."

David puts a hand over his face and laughs. "We're disgusting. I can't believe we—"

"This is it. This is how we're going to have sex from now on." Tommy smiles hard enough to hurt. "I'll spend the whole time talking about your nectar of manliness. It's what you get for wanting to date me."

"Filth?" David's face goes from silly to sly. "How do you know it's not part of the appeal?"

"Baby gravy."

David tries and fails to maintain his poker face, covering his face with his hands again. "I'm going to blackmail you with that one day."

"What, you're gonna tell Billy or something?" It's embarrassing but the look on Billy's face would be priceless. He'd probably explode. It'd be the perfect revenge. "Oh man, that'd be funny as shit. I could 'accidentally' send him a fake sext or something."

David's face changes in the way that means he's hiding how hilarious he thinks it is. "Really? Before the dust has settled on your last conflict you're gonna start another?"

So damn dramatic. "It won't be _that_ bad. Making nice or not I won't stop being me."

"And you're an incorrigible shit." David says with a sigh. It's more fond than aggravated so Tommy knows he's not really worried. "Try not to corrupt Teddy too badly when you do."

"Corrupt Teddy?" Now _that_ sounds interesting.

"Going by what I know of them Teddy would find it funny but not want to show it out of solidarity with Billy."

Getting these insights that David casually throws out never stops being amazing. Before Tommy can keep talking about Teddy's evil side David interrupts his thoughts by running a hand up Tommy's thigh. It's not sexy but familiar, welcoming. They're both glad to be here

"Whatever happened to us not bringing up Billy when we're naked?"

"Normally, yeah. But you killed the mood." Tommy leans down, planting his hands beside David's ribs to lean over him. It really isn't the time to discuss Billy, that much is true.

" _I_ killed it?" David leans up towards him, hand rising from Tommy's thigh to his back. Just before they kiss, David pulls back like he's remembered where Tommy's mouth has been. Instead of kissing he murmurs, "Baby gravy."

Tommy jerks backward, laughter sputtering out before he can stop it. "Fuck, okay, that was too far. I admit it. You keep that up and you'll ruin mashed potatoes for me."

"We're never going to be able to eat them again with a straight face."

It's an in-joke. A couples in-joke. Tommy wants to be mad they have gooshy shit like that, but it's so stupid and disgusting it's nothing like the things Billy and Teddy do. He likes it. "Speaking of, I need to take this sausage out of the gravy marinade." He gestures to the condom keeping his dick swimming in its own juices.

David makes a disgusted face like Tommy knew he would. "Shower?" David's tone makes it clear they'll get dirty again before they get clean.

"Shower," Tommy agrees. He hops out of bed, ready to dash off but David's muscular arms encircle him from behind. David presses his face into the crook of Tommy's neck, breath shuddering as their bodies press together.

"We're okay?" David sounds unsure. "This is okay?"

Tommy barely graduated high school and he can keep this brainiac guessing. And David wants to be with him enough to worry, enough to bite the bullet and ask instead of staying silent. Tommy puts his hands over David's forearms and squeezes. "Yeah."

David kisses his neck, which is nice but too sappy.

"You got me out of the straight and narrow and into wide gay unknown." Tommy presses back into David's broad chest, letting him know exactly what he's talking about.

That gets a laugh. "You're incorrigible." David's arms slide down from chest to stomach, giving him a hug that presses them together tight. His arms loosen and hands start to wander downward, ready to resume the foreplay.

Tommy basks in the embrace for an entire fifteen seconds before he starts teasing David again.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback would be greatly appreciated.


End file.
